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ART  RECREATIONS. 


WE  GETTY  CMYTf.lt 
LIBRARY 


f 


* 


Art  Recreations: 

BEING 

A COMPLETE  GUIDE 


TO 


Pencil  Drawing, 

Oil  Painting, 

Water-Color  Painting, 

Crayon  Drawing  and  Painting, 
Painting  on  Ground  Glass, 
Grecian  Painting, 

Antique  Painting, 

Oriental  Painting, 

Sign  Painting, 

Theorem  Painting, 

Ferneries, 

Moss  Work, 

Papier  Mache, 


Cone  Work, 

Feather  Flowers, 
Potichomanie, 

Leather  Work, 

Hair  Work, 
Taxidermy, 

Gilding  and  Bronzing, 
Plaster  Work, 
Decalcomanie, 

Wax  Work, 

Shell  Work, 

Magic  Lantern, 

Paper  Flowers, 


Imitation  of  Pearl, 

The  Aquarium, 

Sealing-Wax  Painting, 
Panorama  Painting, 

Coloring  Photographs, 

Enamel  Painting, 

Diaphanie, 

Charcoal  Drawing,  two  kinds, 
Limneography, 

Heraldry, 

Flower  Pa’nting,  four  kinds, 
Sorrento-Wood  Carving, 
Illuminating,  &c. 


BY 

Mme.  L.  B.  URBINO,  Prof.  HENRY  DAY, 

AND  OTHERS. 


WITH  VALUABLE  RECEIPTS  FOR  PREPARING  MATERIALS. 


Splendidly  illustrated. 


BOSTON  : 

S*  W.  TILTON  & CO. 


N f 

I / 2 

U 7 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1859,  oy 
J.  E.  TILTON  & COMPANY, 


In  the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTICE. 


presenting  this  volume  to  the 
public,  the  publishers  would 
state  that  it  has  its  origin  in 
the  fact  that  during  the  time 
in  which  they  have  been  en- 
gaged in  issuing  pictures  and 
dealing  in  artists’  materials,  they  have 
been  in  the  constant  receipt  of  letters, 
from  all  parts  of  the  country,  asking 
for  information  in  various  departments  of  ornamental 
work  It  has  always  given  them  pleasure  to  answer 
such  inquiries,  and  they  will  cheerfully  in  the  future 
furnish  such  information  as  may  be  called  for.  But 
with  an  increasing  business,  and  consequently  more 
extended  correspondence,  they  have  found  it  impos- 
sible to  meet  the  wants  of  their  patrons  to  the  ex- 
tent they  would  wish,  and  therefore  have  prepared 
1*  (5) 


6 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTICE. 


this  volume,  which  they  think  will  be  found,  upon 
examination,  to  contain  a great  amount  of  valuable 
and  original  matter,  in  almost  every  department  of 
ornamental  work ; and  they  hope  the  book  will  meet 
with  the  approbation  of  their  patrons  and  the  public 
generally,  feeling  assured  that  long  experience  and 
an  honest  desire  to  make  a valuable  and  instructive 
book  for  teachers,  amateur  artists,  and  the  family 
circle,  will  gain  for  it  a pleasing  success. 

We  are  indebted  for  many  of  these  receipts  and 
valuable  information  to  Professor  Henry  Day,  a 
successful  teacher  for  the  past  twelve  years  in  this 
country,  and  formerly  in  England,  Ireland,  and 
Scotland. 


NOTE  TO  NEW  EDITION. 

In  issuing1  a new  edition  of  this  book,  we  feel  gratified  in  being  able  to  say 
that  “ Art  Recreations  ” has  met  with  universal  approval  and  a success 
beyond  the  most  sanguine  hopes  of  the  publishers.  We  have,  since  its  pub- 
lication, received  and  introduced  some  new  things,  a natural  result  to  our 
continued  labors,  extending  business,  and  constant  intercourse  with  artists 
and  teachers.  Nearly  all  the  matter  from  page  282  on  to  the  end  of  the  book 
is  new. 


CONTENTS 


Autumn  Leaves,  Treatment  of 

Page. 

301 

Anglo-Japanese  Work  ... 

229 

Antique  Painting’  . 

1S7 

Antique  Varnish,  To  make  .... 

341 

Aquarium,  The 

327 

Backgrounds,  Painting 

145 

Broken-Cake  Colors,  To  make  moist  colors  of 

316 

Botanical  Specimens,  To  preserve  . 

281 

Bronzing 

198 

Brushes,  To  clean 

322 

Bronze  Painting 

199 

Bronze  Stencilling 

318 

Brushes,  Choice  of 

131 

Cabinet  Work,  To  cleanse  .... 

343 

Cabinet  Varnish,  To  make  .... 

341 

Chinese  Raising 

203 

Chess  Table  Pattern,  To  paint 

174 

Clear  Varnish 

326 

Colors,  List  of . 

124 

-156 

Colors,  Mixing  for  Grecian  Painting 

90 

Colors,  Mixing  for  Oriental  Painting 

171 

8 


CONTENTS, 


Colored  Engravings,  To  varnish 

. 342 

Charcoal  Drawing  .... 

. 291 

Cone  Work 

. 266 

Crayon  Drawing  .... 

65,  69 

Decalcomanie 

. 282 

Diaphanie  ..... 

. 285 

Draperies,  Coloring  .... 

. 141 

Drawing,  Elements  of 

. 13 

Drawing,  Perspective 

31,  41 

Drawing,  Crayon  .... 

65,  69 

Drawing,  Monochromatic 

. 67 

Designers,  Hints  for  ... 

. 293 

Ebony  Inlaying,  Imitation  of  . 

. 320 

Enamel  Painting  .... 

. 194 

Engravings,  To  stretch,  for  framing 

. 343 

Engravings,  To  varnish  colored 

. 342 

Engravings,  To  use  upon  Glass 

. 319 

Engravings,  Varnish  for  . 

. 326 

Eeather  Flowers  .... 

. 264 

Fernery  for  a short  Purse 

. 335 

Flesh  Tints 

. 136 

Foliage 

. 47 

Flower  Painting  on  Tinted  Paper  . 

. 300 

Flower  Painting,  Permanent  * 

. 299 

Flower  Painting  in  Water  Colors  . 

. 105 

Gilding  Signs 

. 186 

Gilding  on  Satin,  &c., 

. 205 

Gilding 

. 206 

Glass,  Painting  on  . 

. 179 

Grecian  Painting  .... 

. 77 

Ground  Glass,  Painting  on 

. 183 

CONTENTS.  9 


Green  Leaves  in  Water  Colors 

. 303 

Gold  Size,  To  make 

. 342 

Ground  Glass,  Imitation  of 

. 323 

Grecian  Yarnish  .... 

. 324 

Hair,  Coloring  The 

. 138 

Hints  for  Designers  and  Illustrators 

. 293 

Heraldic  Emblazoning  . 

. 310 

Hair  Work 

. 262 

Horn  Paper,  To  make 

. 113 

Illuminating 

. 307 

Japanese  (Anglo)  Work  . 

. 229 

Linnaaography ..... 

. 296 

Leather  Work 

. 209 

Leaf  Impressions,  Taking 

. 280 

Magic  Lantern  .... 

. 181 

Mastic  Yarnish,  To  make 

. 340 

Monochromatic  Drawing 

. 67 

Moss  Work 

. 250 

Oil  Painting 

. 51 

Oriental  Painting  .... 

. 165. 

Painting  in  Oil 

. 51 

Painting  Panoramas,  Maps,  &c., 

. 63 

Painting,  Grecian  .... 

. 75 

Painting  in  Water  Colors 

. 97 

Painting,  Theorem  .... 

. 143 

Painting  on  Glass  .... 

. 179 

Painting  Photographs 

. 119 

Painting,  Oriental  .... 

. 165 

Painting,  Permanent  Flower  . 

. 299 

Preserving  Yarnish  .... 

. 326 

Painting  on  Bice  Paper  . 

. 177 

10 


CONTENTS. 


Painting  Signs 185 

Painting,  Antique 187 

Panorama  Painting 63 

Paper  Ornaments,  To  cut  out 316 

Papier  Mache,  as  taught  by  Prof.  Day 191 

Papier  Mache  Yarnish 341 

Paper  Elovvers 271 

Pearl,  Imitation  for  Embroidery 270 

Pearling 204 

Potichomanie 275 

Pencils,  Choice  of 131 

Pencil  Drawing,  To  preserve 73 

Pictures  for  Grecian  Painting 94 

Photograph  Painting . .199 

Perspective  Drawing 31,  41 

Plaster  Work  255 

Rice  Paper  Painting 177 

Receipts,  Miscellaneous 339 

Sea- Weeds 260 

Sealing-Wax  Work 325 

Sorrento  Wood  Cutting  . . . ■ 309 

Scene  Painting 63 

Sketching  from  Nature 37 

Shell  Work 29 

Sign  Painting • .185 

Tamarind-Seed  Work 269 

Taxidermy 227 

Tints,  Flesh 136 

Tints,  Hair 138 

Tints  for  Photographs 157 

Tinting  Glass  Positives,  &c.,  . . . . . . .181 


CONTENTS, 


11 


Tinting  Photographs 184 

Theorem  Painting 113 

Tracing  Paper 339 

Transparencies,  To  make 279 

Transfer  Paper,  To  make  340 

Transfer  on  Wood 230 

Transfer,  Yarnish 324 

Varnish,  Spirit  Sandarac 339 

Varnish,  Transfer 339 

Varnish,  Mastic 340 

Varnish,  Antique 341 

Varnish,  Cabinet 341 

Varnish,  Turpentine 341 

Varnish,  Papier  Mache 341 

Varnishing  colored  Engravings  342 

Varnish,  Transfer 324 

Varnish,  Grecian  . 324 

Varnish,  Clear 326 

Varnish,  Preserving  ........  326 

Water- Color  Painting 99 

Wax  Work 233 


Jlratoing. 


(13) 


HIS  art,  by  which  we  imitate  the  beau- 
ties of  the  exterior  world,  and  transfer  to 
paper  or  canvas  the  creations  of  our  im- 
agination, is  not  only  a pleasing  accomplishment,  but  of 
practical  utility  in  every  department  of  human  life  ; and 
while,  as  in  every  branch  of  study,  all  cannot  expect  to 
attain  to  equal  excellence,  there  is  no  one  who  does  not 
possess  within  him  a germ  which,  with  proper  cultivation, 

(15) 


16 


DRAWING. 


will  develop  itself  in  some  degree  of  artistic  beauty. 
As  in  music,  so  in  drawing,  to  become  a master  of  the 
art  requires  a life-long  labor  and  constant  application ; 
and  yet  it  is  within  the  reach  of  all  to  acquire  such 
a knowledge,  and  such  an  experience,  as  to  produce  pleas- 
ing effects,  to  cultivate  and  elevate  our  tastes  for  the 
beautiful  in  nature  and  art,  and  decorate  our  dwellings 
with  representations  of  the  outer  world,  and  make  per- 
manent with  the  pencil  the  dreamy  imaginations  which 
float  in  the  ever-active  mind. 

Drawing  should  become  an  essential  element  in  our 
popular  education,  for  while  it  conduces  to  our  pleasure 
and  amusement,  practical  advantages  naturally  flow  from 
it;  and  although  in  an  elementary  treatise  like  this  it 
is  impossible  to  enter  into  the  minute  details  necessary 
for  high  proficiency  in  the  art,  yet  it  is  believed  the 
attentive  student  will  find  here  an  incentive  for  further 
study,  and  that,  by  following  the  concise  but  systematic 
directions  here  given,  he  will,  although  a beginner,  be 
enabled  to  produce  pleasing  pictures  with  a true  artistic 
effect,  and  lay  the  foundation  for  a thorough  knowledge 
of  the  principles  of  drawing.  Success  in  any  thing  is 
in  proportion  to  the  exertion  put  forth,  and  the  student- 


DRAWING. 


17 


artist  who,  with  fixedness  of  purpose,  and  with  patience, 
applies  his  mind  and  hand  to  the  work  may  feel  as- 
sured of  the-  most  gratifying  results ; and  each  suc- 
cessive difficulty  overcome,  and  every  new  idea  gained, 
add  knowledge,  experience,  and  encouragement. 

A perfect  muscular  control  of  the  hand  is  of  the  first 
importance  in  drawing,  as  accuracy  of  outline  and  delicacy 
of  expression  can  only  be  obtained  by  having  the  fingers 
in  complete  subjection  to  the  will,  so  that  the  slightest 
volition  will  be  properly  interpreted  by  the  pencil.  This 
requisite  facility  in  the  use  of  the  pencil  or  brush  can  be 
acquired  only  by  patient  practice,  the  length  of  time  neces- 
sary for  its  attainment  being  in  some  degree  dependent 
upon  the  natural  ability,  taste,  or  “ genius  ” of  the 
learner.  Of  equal  importance,  and  as  absolutely  indis- 
pensable, is  correctness  of  eye  in  determining  distances 
and  measurements  — an  attainment  which  can  be  carried 
to  a wonderful  degree  of  perfection.  Thorough  practice 
in  making  straight  and  curved  lines  demands  the  first 
attention  of  the  beginner.  Commence  with  short  hori- 
zontal lines,  gradually  increasing  the  length,  making  the 
x line  in  a distinct,  bold,  and  rapid  manner,  first  from  left 
to  right,  and  then  vice  versa , thus  : — - — ; 


18 


DRAWING. 


next,  straight  lines  touching  each  other  at  different 

; then  perpendicular 


angles,  thus  : 
lines,  thus : 


Too  much  practice  cannot  he  given  to  these  lines,  and 
the  difficulties  at  first  experienced  in  drawing  straight, 
continuous  lines  will  gradually  diminish.  When  these 
right-lines,  horizontal,  perpendicular,  and  at  various 
angles,  can  he  drawn  with  accuracy  and  with  freedom 
of  pencil,  then  practice  the  following,  which  is  a com- 
bination of  them  all,  thus  : 
nations  will  suggest  them- 
inventive  mind,  and  the 
astonished  in  his  practice  in 
variety  of  forms  and  almost 
tions  can  he  produced  from 
It  may  he  well  to  copy  some 
posed  of  straight  lines  ; hut 
od  is  to  draw  from  the  store- 


Other  combi- 
selves  to  the 
learner  will  be 
finding  what  a 
endless  varia- 
straight  lines, 
figures  com- 
the  best  meth- 
house  of  your 


DRAWING. 


19 


own  invention,  taxing  the  mind  for  new  combinations, 
and  thus  adopting  one  of  the  surest  means  of  success. 
The  power  to  originate,  as  well  as  to  imitate,  is  necessary 
to  make  the  true  artist. 

Having  attained  a degree  of  proficiency  in  straight 
lines,  the  next  step  is  the  curve , with  all  its  variations. 
Commence  by  drawing  a horizontal  line,  connecting  the  ends 
by  arches  of  different  altitudes,  then 
perpendicular  lines,  connecting  the 
ends  by  arches  in  the  same  manner. 

In  each  Of  these  cases,  the  straight  lines  form 
a basis  by  which  to  determine  with  more  accu- 
racy the  true  sweep  of  the  arch  curves ; and 
all  irregular  forms  can  best  be  determined  by 
their  relative  positions  to  straight  lines.  A 
practiced  eye  will  soon  learn  to  detect  right 
lines  in  all  things,  and  thus  have  an  unerring 

standard. 

Now  draw  straight  lines,  and  divide  them  into  equal 
parts,  testing  the  accuracy  of  your  eye  by  the  compasses, 

— i — — and  practice  this  until  the  eye  can 

measure  with  great  accuracy.  Then  draw  arches,  (without 
any  base  line,)  and  divide  them  in  the  same  manner. 


20 


DRAWING. 


Forms  of  grace  and  beauty  being 
dependent  upon  curved  lines,  great 
attention  and  practice  should  be  given  to  them  in 
the  infinite  variety  in  which  they  occur.  Select  simple 
curvilinear  forms,  and  having  acquired  some  profi- 
ciency in  making  them,  advance  to  those  of  a more 
difficult  character  ; vases,  goblets,  shells,  and  numerous 
other  forms  combining  curved  lines  will  readily  occur  to 
the  mind  of  the  artist. 

It  will  now  be  found  a good  practice  to  draw  straight 
and  curved  lines  with  their  parallels,  varying  the  spaces 
between  the  lines  until  the  hand  becomes  steady  and  accu- 
rate in  its  motion,  and  the  eye  determines  the  equi-dis- 


Make  the  lines  with  boldness,  and  a certain  degree  of 
rapidity. 

Thorough  practice  in  drawing  these  lines,  and  in  divid- 
ing them  at  equi-distances,  gives  to  the  learner  the  whole 
alphabet  of  drawing.  Too  much  attention  cannot  be  given 
to  the  combinations  of  which  these  various  lines  are  sus- 
ceptible, and  patience  and  diligence  are  indispensable 
requisites  to  success.  All  mistakes  should  be  carefully 


DRAWING. 


21 


corrected,  not  in  imagination,  but  in  reality,  as  thus  the 
hand  and  eye  gain  experience.  Fruit  and  flowers  are  in- 
teresting models  from  which  to  draw,  and  these  can  be 
followed  by  more  complicated  subjects. 

The  drawing  of  the  human  head,  and  indeed  of  the  whole 
human  form,  being  wholly  dependent  upon  curved  lines, 
no  more  appropriate  place  will  be  found  in  which  to  give 
a few  elementary  directions  on  this  branch  of  the  art  of 
drawing ; and  it  may  be  remarked,  that  in  all  the  works 
of  nature  no  straight  lines  are  to  be  found  ; trees,  flowers, 
leaves,  fruit,  and  every  motion  of  air  or  water,  are  curvi- 
linear in  their  character. 

It  is  easier  to  draw  a head  in  profile  (side  view)  than  in 
any  other  position,  as  in  this  way  the  features  can  be  more 


readily  preserved,  and  a little  practice  in  profile  drawing 
(strict  attention  being  given  to  the  originals)  will  insure  a 


22 


DRAWING. 


creditable  degree  of  proficiency.  In  drawing  & front  view, 
the  artist  should  begin  with  the  mouth ; and  as  a general 
rule,  in  the  words  of  an  artist-author,  “ before  making  any 
attempt  at  expression  he  should  become  familiar  with 
the  actual  form  of  the  features,  and  be  capable  of  delin- 
eating them  knowingly.”  The  line  made  by  the  meeting 
of  the  lips  is  the  first  thing  to  be  drawn.  Draw  a straight 
line,  and  upon  it  mark  with  a dotted  or  faint  line  the 
width  of  the  mouth,  center,  thickness  of  lips,  etc.,  giving 
careful  attention  to  the  form  ; then  develop  these  marks 
into  a correct  outline  of  the  form  to  be  imitated,  and  the 
remaining  steps  of  filling  up  will  come  in  easy  succession. 
Repeated  experiments  should  be  made  until  the  use  of  the 
straight  or  base  line  can  be  dispensed  with ; and  the  same 
principle  will  apply  to  the  drawing  of  the  eye.  Practice 


will  enable  the  learner  in  a short  time  to  preserve  the 
relative  proportions  as  well  without  as  with  this  line. 


DRAWING. 


28 


In  making  the  lines  which  give  form  or  rotundity,  com- 
mence with  the  most  prominent  ones,  attending  carefully 
to  all  the  details  of  light  and  shade,  and  not  attempting 
too  rapid  progress.  The  principles  above  given  will  apply 
with  the  same  force  to  other  features,  and  the  pupil 
should  practice  with  patience  each  and  every  feature  before 
attempting  to  combine  them.  The  accompanying  diagrams 
will  be  of  essential  service  to  the  pupil. 

Having  attained  some  proficiency  in  these,  the  pupil 
can  next  proceed  with  the  following,  practicing  patiently 
and  thoroughly. 


It  has  been  remarked  that  it  is  easier  to  draw  a profile 
than  a front  view ; therefore  it  is  recommended  to  the 


24 


DRAWING. 


pupil  to  commence  a perfect  head  with  a 'profile ; and  here 
nature  provides  a base  line  or  point  of  unerring  certainty, 
by  which  to  produce  the  head.  With  the  head  in  an 
erect  position,  a line  connecting  the  lower  points  of  the 
nose  and  ear  will  be  horizontal ; and  thus  is  established  a 
basis  to  which  all  the  parts  of  the  head  must  have  certain 


fixed  relations.  Erect  a perpendicular  from  one  end  of 
a horizontal  line,  and  upon  this  mark  the  length  of  the 
nose,  equal  to  one  fourth  the  whole  height  of  the  head. 
This  proportion  will,  of  course,  sometimes  vary,  but  it 
forms  a pretty  accurate  measurement.  The  oval , we 
mean  the  egg-shape  oval,  although  of  little  use  in  profile 
drawing,  in  a full  front  view  is  of  striking  use  and  value. 


DRAWING. 


25 


The  student  unacquainted  with  the  subject  will  be  aston- 
ished to  see  how  nearly  the  human  face  partakes  of  the 
oval  form,  and  this  knowledge,  when  acted  upon,  will  be  of 
great  assistance.  A single  outline  illustration  will  show 
better  than  pages  of  print  the  force  of  our  remarks  upon 
the  oval  form  of  the  human  face. 


The  obtuse  or  elongated  form  of  the  oval  must  be  deter- 
mined by  the  individual  cases. 

3 


26 


DRAWING. 


As  a general  observation,  it  may  be  said  that  just  in 
proportion  as  . the  head  is  elevated  or  depressed  from  an 
erect  position,  the  line  from  ear  to  nose,  before  alluded 
to,  will  cease  to  be  horizontal,  and  take  a greater  or  less 
curvature  ; still  it  will  continue  to  be  a governing  line. 
Care  and  judgment  in  the  use  of  the  oval  is  necessary, 
as  at  every  inclination  of  the  head  to  the  left  or  right, 
the  perpendicular  or  center  ceases  to  be  a straight  line, 
and  as  the  curvature  increases  the  line  loses  its  position 
as  a central  line  for  determining  the  features,  while  the 
oval  is  gradually  lost  for  an  outline  as  the  picture  a^ 
proaches  a profile.  The  imaginary  central  line  of  the  head 
and  face  should  always  receive  the  careful  study  and  con- 
tinual attention  of  the  student,  as  it  determines  the  gen- 
eral character  of  the  head  and  its  separate  parts. 

Copying  plaster  casts  is  an  excellent  practice,  and  the 
learner  should  improve  every  opportunity  for  observa- 
tion and  study ; and  all  attempts  at  imitation,  either 
from  casts,  living  heads,  or  paintings,  will  insure  gratify- 
ing progress  in  the  art.  Proper  subjects  for  copying 
are  within  the  reach  of  all  those  into  whose  hands  this 
book  will  fall.  As  the  pupil  passes  on  to  advance  pages, 
he  will  find  various  directions  for  the  minutiae  of  draw- 


DRAWING. 


27 


ing,  which  will  be  of  use  in  all  his  attempts  to  repre- 
sent the  human  head. 


LIGHT  AND  SHADE. 

A proper  disposition  of  light  and  shade  gives  to 
drawing  and  painting  the  expression  of  form,  and  thus 
the  eye  receives  nearly  the  same  impression  in  looking 
upon  the  flat  canvas  or  paper  as  upon  the  natural  ob- 
jects. So  Ruskin  remarks,  in  speaking  of  color  and 
shading,  “ Every  thing  that  you  can  see,  in  the  world 
around  you,  presents  itself  to  your  eyes  only  as  an 
arrangement  of  patches  of  different  colors  variously 
shaded  ; . . . and  the  first  thing  to  be  learned  is,  how 
to  produce  extents  of  smooth  color,  without  texture.” 
To  acquire  proficiency  in  effecting  a true  light  and 


28 


DRAWING. 


shade,  the  pupil  or  learner  must  possess  an  accurate  or 
a cultivated  eye  to  aid  him  in  giving  true  representa- 
tions of  the  objects  to  he  painted  or  drawn. 

The  variety  of  form  and  direction  in  nature  can  only 
be  imitated  by  a corresponding  variety  in  the  lines  and 
touches  used  in  their  delineation,  expressing  as  nearly 
as  possible  the  exact  form  and  character  of  the  original. 
For  instance,  an  even,  smooth  surface  requires  an  even- 


ness and  regularity  in  the  lines,  approaching  as  nearly 
as  possible  to  an  unbroken  surface  ; and  if  it  is  desired 
to  imitate  a broken  or  uneven  surface,  recourse  must 
be  had  to  broken,  curved,  or  uneven  lines,  such  as 


DRAWING. 


29 


will  best  represent  tbe  object.  It  will  readily  be  per- 
ceived by  the  learner  that  the  lines  (if  the  shading  par- 
takes of  the  linear  character)  must  vary  according  to 
the  subject. 

The  representation  of  a round  object  is  managed  by 
a careful  disposition  of  the  light  upon  the  convex  part, 
and  the  shade  attending  it.  It  is  this  difference  in  the 
shading  which  gives  objects  drawn  on  a plain  surface 
their  proper  relief,  and  expresses  space  and  distance. 
Indian  ink,  or  sepia,  is  useful  for  this  purpose.  Pre- 
pare two,  three,  or  more  shades  of  either  in  small  cups, 
lay  on  the  shades  with  camel’s  hair  or  sable  brushes, 
putting  on  the  lighter  shades  first,  and  work  gradually 
darker  until  the  required  depth  of  color  is  secured.  It 
is  better  to  have  the  shades  too  light  than  too  dark,  as 
it  is  very  easy  to  strengthen  shades,  but  difficult  to 
lighten  them.  As  a general  rule,  it  must  be  observed 
that  the  different  tones  are  to  be  so  blended  together 
as  to  form  a gradual  shade,  becoming  fainter  as  it  ap- 
proaches the  light. 

In  the  disposal  of  the  shades,  the  following  direc- 

♦ 

tions  may  be  studied  with  benefit : — - 

1st.  All  the  shades  of  objects  in  the  same  piece 


3 * 


30 


DRAWING. 


must  fall  the  same  way,  that  is,  farthest  from  the  light. 
For  instance,  if  the  light  comes  from  the  right  side  of 
the  piece,  the  shades  must  fall  toward  the  left,  and 
vice  versa . 

2d.  The  part  of  an  object  nearest  the  light  must 
have  the  faintest  shades.  This  rule  is  observable  in 
the  folds  of  drapery,  where  the  projecting  folds  appear 
light,  and  the  inner  folds  dark.  Titian  observed,  that 
“ the  best  rule  for  the  distribution  of  lights  and  shad- 
ows may  be  drawn  from  an  observation  of  a bunch  of 
grapes.” 

3d.  Calm  waters  have  either  a faint  shade  or  none 
at  all ; but  there  should  always  be  a line  of  shade  near 
the  banks.  Agitated  waters  should  have  various  shades. 

4th.  In  large-extended  views,  as  landscapes,  the  dis- 
tant objects  are  faintly  shaded,  and  the  more  distant 
they  are,  the  fainter  the  shades. 

5th.  With  reference  to  the  horizon  and  clouds,  the 
clouds  nearest  the  top  of  the  piece  are  more  strongly 
shaded  than  those  more  remote,  the  strength  of  shade 
decreasing  as  the  clouds  descend  toward  the  horizon, 
where  they  become  faint  and  indistinct,  because  at  the 
greatest  distance  from  the  point  of  view. 


DRAWING. 


31 


6th.  Some  substances  have  the  property  of  reflect- 
ing the  light  strongly,  as  satin,  silk,  and  all  po/isbed 
metals.  In  these  there  must  be  very  strong  light,  and 
consequently  a deep  shade.  All  bright  lights  must  be 
contrasted  with  strong  shades,  and  fainter  lights  with 
weaker  shades.  The  examination  of  basts  and  statues 
is  of  great  assistance  in  establishing  these  principles  in 
the  mind ; and  a critical  attention  to  the  effect  of  light 
and  shade  in  the  world  around  us,  in  the  open  air,  or 
when  the  sunlight  pours  through  the  windows  or  door, 
or  where  the  rays  of  the  moon  light  up  the  evening  land- 
scape, and  steal  in  through  the  opening  curtains,  in- 
deed, the  opportunities  for  studying  the  various  phe- 
nomena of  light  and  shade  are  ever  present  with  us,  and 
the  observing  pupil  will  in  this  way  learn  more  than  by 
pages  of  directions. 

PERSPECTIVE. 

Perspective  is  the  art  of  drawing  on  a plain  surface 
the  true  representation  or  appearance  of  any  given  ob- 
ject, as  it  would  appear  upon  a pane  of  glass  when  held 
upright  between  you  and  the  object. 


32 


DRAWING. 


The  eye  of  a person  when  sketching  from  nature  is 
presumed  to  he  placed  in  the  center  of  a circle  of  360°, 
and  the  expanse  of  vision,  while  the  eye  is  stationary, 
is  an  angle  of  60°  ; in  other  words,  the  eye  embraces  a 
range  of  30°  on  each  side  of  a center.  This  angle  of 


60°  has  no  reference  to  the  length  of  lines  on  either 
side,  since  they  are  regulated  by  the  assumed  width  of 
the  picture  proposed  to  be  drawn ; for  instance,  if  your 
perspective  plane  he  some  distance  from  you,  the  ob- 
jects would  be  larger;  if  nearer,  the  objects  would  be 
smaller  — both  pictures  representing  the  same  scene. 


DRAWING. 


33 


If  a person  standing  on  the  sea  shore  look  far  away 
over  the  expanse  of  water,  he  will  observe  a boundary 
line  — the  water  apparently  meeting  with  the  sky  by  a 
well-defined  straight  line.  This  is  called  the  horizontal 
line , and  it  is  exactly  opposite  the  range  of  the  eye  ; 
and  that  particular  point  of  the  horizontal  line  to  which 
the  eye  of  the  sketcher  is  directed  is  called  the  'point  of 
sight.  If  he  ascend  to  any  hight  on  the  shore,  the  line 
of  the  horizon  must  he  placed  higher  in  his  drawing, 
because  his  eye  is  so  much  higher ; and  the  axiom  laid 
down  in  the  previous  paragraph  holds  true,  that  the 
horizontal  line  is  that  line  exactly  on  a level  with 
the  eye. 

Any  person  looking  on  a straight  road  which  con- 
tinues into  the  extreme  distance,  may  observe  that  the 
edges  of  the  road  appear  to  terminate  in  a point.  Per- 
haps a better  illustration  of  this  may  be  found  on  the 
track  of  a railroad,  in  a part  where  it  is  perfectly  straight. 
The  rails,  as  they  recede  into  the  distance,  converge  until 
apparently  lost  in  a point,  and  at  the  same  time  appear  to 
rise  up,  the  extreme  point  being  just  level  with  the  eye. 

From  facts  like  these  Chapman  deduces  these  ele- 
mentary principles ; that,  — 


84 


DRAWING. 


“ I.  The  point  of  sight  must  be  in  the  center  of  the 
perspective  picture. 

“ II.  All  lines  parallel  to  an  imaginary  line  drawn 
from  the  eye  of  the  observer  to  the  point  of  sight,  must 
terminate  or  vanish  in  that  point. 

“ III.  The  line  of  the  horizon  must  necessarily  rise  or 
descend  with  the  position  of  the  eye,  and  consequently 
with  the  point  of  sight. 

“IV.  The  base  or  ground  line  of  the  picture,  and  all 
others  parallel  with  it,  must  be  parallel  with  the  line  of 
the  horizon. 

“ V.  The  diagonal  of  the  square,  perspectively  repre- 
sented, directs  to  a point  on  the  line  of  the  horizon, 
the  distance  from  which  point  to  the  point  of  sight  repre- 
sents the  true  distance  of  the  eye  of  the  observer  from 
the  picture.” 

It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  strict  attention  to 
these  principles  will  produce  the  most  gratifying  results 
in  the  progress  of  the  learner.  One  rule  the  true  artist 
should  always  remember,  that  is,  never  to  carry  the 
point  of  sight  outside  the  picture.  The  eye  naturally 
seeks  a point  of  view  in  the  picture,  and  the  nearer  this 
point  is  to  the  center  of  the  picture,  the  greater  is  the 
harmony  between  nature  and  art. 


DRAWING. 


35 


All  objects  appear  to  diminish  in  proportion  to  their 
remoteness  from  the  eye  of  the  spectator.  Hence  col- 
umns, posts,  trees,  etc.,  of  equal  hight,  will  appear  to 
diminish  as  they  recede  from  the  eye.  The  lines  which 
govern  their  diminution  in  perspective  drawing  are 
called  vanishing  lines , and  if  perpendicular  to  you,  van- 
ish in  the  point  of  sight,  or  that  point  in  the  horizon 
exactly  opposite  your  eye  as  you  stand  when  sketching; 
if  the  lines  are  below  the  eye,  they  tend  upward,  as 
the  rails  on  the  railroad ; but  if  above  you,  as  the  ceil- 
ing of  a long  corridor,  they  would  tend  downward  to- 
wards the  horizon. 

The  point  of  sight  may  be  fixed  at  pleasure;  and 
although,  strictly  speaking,  the  center  is  the  correct 
place,  it  is  generally  better  to  place  it  a little  removed 
from  the  center  of  the  picture;  for  if  the  subject  were 
a street,  or  an  avenue  of  trees,  the  perspective  would  be 
very  formal,  and  the  scene  would  thereby  be  dimin- 
ished in  interest. 

Many  contend  that  all  objects  appear  better  with  one 
than  both  eyes ; alleging  that  the  sight  is  rendered  more 
powerful  by  one  eye  being  shut.  Be  this  as  it  may,  it 
is  certain  we  see  a piece  of  perspective  better  with  one 


36 


DRAWING. 


eye  than  we  do  with  both,  and  it  is  undeniable  that  by 
opening  or  shutting  either  eye  the  position  and  gen- 
eral appearance  of  an  object  are  changed.  It  is  this 
very  fact  that  caused  Sir  David  Brewster  to  reflect,  and 
that  reflection  has  created  a new  era  in  the  history  of 
discovery  by  introducing  to  the  world  the  stereoscope. 


SKETCHING. 

Before  beginning  to  sketch  out  of  doors,  the  first 
consideration  should  be  to  get  the  best  point  of  view, 
as  a few  steps  to  the  right  or  left  sometimes  make  a 
great  difference,  always  keeping  a good  lookout  for 
objects  that  will  compose  harmoniously  and  prettily. 


DRAWING. 


37 


As  this  does  not  always  occur  in  natural  scenes,  the 
sketcher  is  allowed  certain  liberties ; thus  he  may  add 
or  take  away  : he  may  add  where  there  seems  a defi- 
ciency, so  that  he  keeps  the  general  character  of  the 
scenery,  or  he  may  take  away  where  it  appears  too 
crowded.  Sometimes  artists  insist  upon  having  the  fore- 
ground entirely  at  their  own  disposal,  provided  they 
keep  up  the  general  appearance  of  the  view.  In  mak- 
ing hasty  sketches  (as  a pencil  sketch  is  subject  to 
great  inconvenience  when  there  are  two  or  three  dis- 
tances, and  each  drawn  in  with  one  kind  of  mark)  it 
is  requisite  to  make  a few  written  references,  as  the 
sketcher  may  forget  the  distinctions. 

A celebrated  English  landscape  painter,  in  giving 
advice  to  his  pupils  previous  to  their  departure  for  a 
sketching  tour,  was  very  particular  in  impressing  upon 
them  the  necessity  of  studying  “ little  hits,”  meaning 
by  this  not  to  take  too  much  in  one  sketch,  as  is  too 
often  the  case  with  beginners.  One  of  the  best  qual- 
ities of  a sketch  is  not  only  to  refresh  the  memory  of 
the  sketcher,  but  to  be  suggestive  and  intelligible  to 
every  one.  We  will  suppose  that  a spot  is  selected 
containing  not  more  than  three  or  four  objects.  An 


4 


38 


DRAWING. 


artist  seldom,  if  ever,  takes  any  thing  in  its  broadest 
and  most  regular  form,  and  never  takes  a house  (for 
instance)  as  if  he  had  taken  his  position  directly  in 
front,  nor  a row  of  trees  or  palisades  at  a right 
angle  to  his  own  position. 

For  an  early  lesson  in  sketching  from  nature,  a house 
is  very  good,  but  must  be  viewed  from  a point  a little 
aside  from  the  front,  so  as  to  bring  in  as  many  angular 
features  as  possible.  We  will  suppose  a station  to  be 
selected.  One  way  of  proceeding  is  — hold  up  the  sketch 
book  in  front,  closing  one  eye  in  order  to  determine 
how  much  of  the  scene  is  to  be  drawn  ; the  farther  off 
the  book  is  held,  the  less  of  the  subject  will  be  covered  ; 
when  the  extent  is  arranged,  lower  the  book  to  a level, 
and  make  a few  dots  on  the  margin,  merely  to  point 
out  some  of  the  relative  positions  ; find  the  horizontal 
line  by  holding  up  your  pencil  horizontal  with  the  eye, 
and  slightly  mark  it  in;  then  get  the  point  of  sight  op- 
posite the  eye,  on  the  horizontal  line;  judge  well  of  the 
relative  distances  of  the  most  prominent  objects,  and 
faintly  mark  them  in  on  the  paper.  By  arranging  these 
particulars  well  at  first,  a great  deal  of  trouble  is  saved 
in  erasing  false  marks.  Be  careful  to  give  every  line 


DRAWING. 


39 


its  proper  position : a line  that  is  upright  in  nature 
must  be  upright  in  your  picture ; lines  that  go  direct 
from  you  (that  is,  perpendicular  to  you  as  you  stand) 
go  toward  the  point  of  sight ; if  they  are  above  the 
horizontal  line,  they  tend  downward  toward  the  point 
of  sight ; and  if  below,  they  tend  upward.  In  sketch- 
ing, it  is  well  to  have  the  lines  a little  broken,  yet 
having  the  general  appearance  of  straightness.  An  easy, 
rapid,  and  decided  manner  of  sketching,  so  as  to  ob- 
viate all  appearance  of  stiffness  or  formality,  is  a power 
acquired  only  by  practice. 

If  the  sketcher’s  productions  after  a first  or  second 
attempt  be  not  all  that  can  be  desired,  it  is  a fair  proof 
that  the  mind  is  in  advance  of  the  hand,  and  should 
operate  as  a stimulus  to  further  exertion.  In  proceeding 
with  a sketch,  the  pencil  gradually  wears  away,  and 
gives  an  increasing  thickness  of  line  : this  can  be  used 
to  advantage,  as  bold  lines  of  the  pencil  are  frequently 
needed,  especially  in  the  foreground.  By  a little  prac- 
tice, the  pupil  will  discover  that  by  a gentle  twist  of  the 
pencil,  a sharp  angle  of  the  worn  pencil  will  come  in 
contact  with  the  paper,  and  a fine  line  can  be  drawn  ; 
and  by  pressing  harder  on  the  pencil  occasionally,  an 


40 


DRAWING. 


increase  of  depth  may  be  produced,  giving  the  sketch 
additional  spirit. 

ON  COMPOSITION. 

Every  production  of  the  artist  is  reducible  to  its  ele- 
mentary or  skeleton  construction  of  lines  and  forms ; 
and  upon  the  skillful  disposition  of  these  depend  the 
excellence  of  the  composition  of  the  picture.  The  es- 
sential spirit  of  composition  in  painting,  as  in  many 
other  things,  is  variety.  In  order  to  make  it  agreeable, 
it  is  requisite  that  all  the  minor  parts  he  so  harmonized 
as  to  form  one  well-balanced  whole,  consisting  of  a few 
prominent  masses  or  groupings,  which,  according  to  the 
best  written  treatises  on  the  principal  laws  of  compo- 
sition, must  he  diversified  in  magnitude  and  in  form. 
One  of  these  masses  should  be  treated  as  the  principal, 
and  the  other  as  dependent  upon  it  and  contributing  to 
it,  and  at  the  same  time  it  is  necessary  they  should  be 
distinct  in  appearance  and  place.  Whatever  form  may 
be  determined  upon,  it  is  necessary  to  guard  against  a 
fixed  regularity,  so  as  not  to  repeat  any  form  or  shape  ; 
and  whatever  be  the  general  outline  of  the  masses,  they 


DRAWING. 


41 


should  not  be  regular,  nor  must  we  fall  into  error  on 
the  other  side  by  having  them  too  broken ; but  the 
various  parts  should  bear  and  preserve  a relation  to 
each  other,  showing  a whole  so  well  balanced  that  one  part 
cannot  be  taken  away  without  the  deficiency  being  felt. 

A true  Method  of  Drawing  in  Perspective 
without  a Knowledge  of  the  Rules. 

Many  persons  would  like  to  sketch  from  nature  if 
they  could  be  free  from  the  trouble  of  acquiring  the 
principles  of  perspective  drawing.  To  such,  and  to 
others,  we  present  the  following  description  of  a 
method  in  which  little  study  is  required,  and  yet  the 
proportions  and  distances  of  objects  will  be  exactly  pre- 
served. Get  a large  piece  of  fine,  clear  glass,  fitted  in 
a wooden  frame.  This  frame  is  to  slide  between  two 
cheeks  or  pieces  of  wood  one  and  a half  inches  thick, 
which  are  raised  at  the  two  extremes  of  a board  the 
breadth  of  the  frame : the  cheeks  are  grooved  to  re- 
ceive the  frame.  In  the  middle  of  this  board  square 
holes  must  be  made  to  receive  the  movable  eye-hole 
piece,  so  as  to  be  raised  or  lowered  at  pleasure.  At 
the  top  of  this  is  a circular  piece  of  tin,  three  or  four 


4* 


42 


DRAWING. 


inches  in  diameter,  with  a hole  in  the  center  about  the 
size  of  a pea.  The  following  drawing  will  give  a 
pretty  accurate  idea  of  it,  and  any  cabinet  maker  can 
work  from  it. 


Place  this  instrument  before  the  object  you  would 
draw,  look  through  the  little  hole,  and  if  you  see  all 
the  proposed  objects  on  the  glass,  the  instrument  is 
rightly  fixed ; otherwise,  fix  the  sight  nearer  the  glass 
in  one  of  the  other  square  holes,  adapt  the  eye-piece  the 
hight  you  wish,  and  fasten  it  with  the  pin.  The  eye- 
piece being  adjusted,  keep  one  eye  at  the  hole,  closing  the 
other,  and,  with  a firm  and  steady  hand,  trace  in  on  the 
glass  all  the  objects  you  see. 


DRAWING. 


43 


You  can  draw  on  the  glass  with  pen  and  ink,  then 
lay  a moist  sheet  of  paper  on  the  glass,  (the  side  that 
has  the  design,)  rub  or  press  the  paper  gently  thereon 
with  the  hand,  and  the  whole  draught  will  be  impressed 
or  transferred  from  the  glass  upon  the  paper. 

Some  use  a fine  brush  with  oil  color,  pressing  the  paper 
on  gently  while  the  oil  is  wet ; but  we  leave  you  to  your 
own  discretion,  having  given  you  a knowledge  of  the 
method.  The  sketch  of  a palace  is  as  easily  taken  as  a 
landscape,  and  a church  as  a house  or  chamber  ; all  re- 
quired in  any  subject  being  a situation  where  the  whole 
object  intended  to  be  represented  may  be  seen,  and  to 
bring  the  sight  to  a proper  nearness  to  the  glass.  These 
drawings  cannot  fail  to  be  according  to  the  strict  rules  of 
perspective  : the  eye-hole  has  the  same  effect  as  the  point 
of  sight  in  the  other  methods. 

Another  method  of  using  the  same  apparatus  is  to 
divide  the  glass  into  squares  with  threads,  thus  saving 
the  marking  the  glass  with  ink  or  color  ; in  this  way  you 
have  your  drawing  marked  off  in  the  same  number  of 
squares  as  much  larger  as  you  wish,  and  proceed  sketch- 
ing on  your  paper  what  you  see  in  the  corresponding 
squares  in  the  natural  object. 


44 


DRAWING. 


To  enlarge  and  diminish  a Drawing.  — Divide  the  origi- 
nal piece  into  a certain  number  of  squares  by  perpendicular 
and  horizontal  lines,  making  as  many  in  the  original  as  in 
the  space  intended  for  the  copy  ; number  the  correspond- 
ing squares  alike,  (your  copy  may  either  be  larger  or 
smaller ;)  then  observe  what  parts  of  each  square  the 
different  marks  run  in  the  original,  and  draw  similar  ones 
to  correspond  in  your  copy.  This  is  the  best  method  for 
enlarging  and  diminishing.  For  oil  paintings,  pieces  of 
twine  or  thread  might  be  tacked  across  at  equal  intervals, 
so  as  not  to  injure  or  mark  the  painting;  or  for  small 
engravings  you  can  procure  a piece  of  stout  card  paper ; 
cut  a square  in  it  the  size  of  the  engraving  you  wish  to 
copy ; divide  the  sides  and  ends  into  half  inches ; then 
with  a needle  and  thread  pass  through  the  various  marks 
from  side  to  side  and  from  top  to  bottom,  taking  care  that 
the  thread  always  comes  from  the  same  side  of  the  card, 
so  as  to  lie  close  to  the  engraving  when  used.  Number 
the  threads  each  way.  If  you  wish  to  enlarge  the  copy, 
it  is  necessary  to  determine  the  proportions  one,  two,  or 
more  inches  to  the  half  inch  of  the  thread  card. 

Pencil  Drawing.  — After  having  the  form  of  an 
object  drawn,  we  want  it  better  defined;  for  instance, 


DRAWING. 


45 


if  we  wish  to  shade  a ball,  we  must  follow  the  shape, 
and  let  all  the  shade  marks  be  rounded,  marking  dark 
on  the  side  farthest  from  where  the  light  strikes  it, 


46 


DRAWING. 


working  gradually  fainter  until  the  shading  is  lost  in 
the  spot  of  light ; if  we  wish  the  same  circle  to  repre- 
sent a flat  surface,  make  all  the  shade  marks  straight  and 
even,  so  as  to  represent  one  shade.  In  this  way,  by 
studying  the  natural  object  we  are  drawing,  the  pupil 
will  make  pleasing  progress. 


In  shading  houses,  trunks  of  trees,  rocks,  etc.,  observe 
which  way  the  natural  direction  of  lines  should  run,  so 
as  to  best  harmonize  with  the  original,  and  proceed  ac- 
cordingly. 


DRAWING. 


47 


When  a tree  is  in  the  foreground  the  leaves  are  dis- 
tinctly seen ; we  can  readily  distinguish  the  form,  and  the 
light  and  shade  is  in  strong  contrast ; if  we  move  our 


48 


DRAWING. 


position,  and  make  the  same  tree'  appear  in  the  middle 
distance,  we  can  recognize  the  same  tree,  but  the  light  and 


shades  are  not  so  strong  ; if  we  again  remove  our  position, 


DRAWING. 


49 


and  cause  the  same  tree  to  be  in  the  extreme  distance,  the 
atmospheric  perspective  softens  the  general  tone,  and 
makes  it  uniform.  Linear  perspective  gives  us  the  cause 
of  the  diminution  of  size,  but  in  addition  to  that  we  have 


diminution  of  tone,  a fading  out  as  it  were,  owing  in  part 
to  the  intervention  of  the  atmosphere.  In  representing 
this  with  the  lead  pencil,  the  form  should  be  strictly  ob- 
served, and  an  even,  pale,  misty  tone  obtained.  But  in 


% 


5 


( 


50  DRAWING. 

the  foreground,  the  high  lights  must  be  strictly  kept,  and 
the  shades  deepened  with  an  even  gradation.  We  would 
recommend  a careful  study,  not  only  of  all  the  pencil 
practice  we  have  here  introduced,  but  of  numerous  others  ; 
these  should  he  practiced  well  from  memory,  as,  by  so 
doing,  ease,  freedom,  and  facility  are  obtained.  Masses  of 
foliage  can  he  represented  by  any  of  the  zigzag  working 
of  the  pencil ; the  outside  form  of  the  tree  has  to  be 
studied,  and  the  marks  best  adapted  to  it  applied. 

When  a drawing  or  painting  is  finished,  one  of  the  best 
means  of  improving  is  to  study  it  well,  and  do  another 
from  memory.  By  doing  this  conscientiously  improve- 
ment is  far  more  rapid. 


<§il  IJainfiitj. 


m 


I L painting,  as  a matter  of  course,  re- 
quires that  the  general  principles  of 
outline  should  be  familiar,  and  that  a tolerably  correct 
sketch  of  ordinary  subjects  can  be  accomplished  with 
ease  and  facility.  We  will  enumerate  the  requisite 
materials  for  a 44  fitting  out.”  They  consist  of  colors, 
brushes,  palette,  palette  knife,  canvas,  easel,  hand-rest, 
oil,  and  varnish.  A tin  oil  painting  box  can  be  pur- 
5 * (53) 


54 


OIL  PAINTING. 


chased  complete,  containing  hog-hair  tools,  sable  and 
badger  brushes,  port  crayon,  chalk,  oil,  varnish,  palette, 
and  palette  knife.  Hog-hair  tools  are  made  flat  and 
round.  Flat  ones  are  generally  used  for  the  sky.  The 
badger  hair  brush  is  used  to  softeh  or  blend  together 
the  sky  and  other  parts.  Sable  brushes  are  likewise 
flat  and  round ; both  are  useful.  After  the  badger  has 
been  used  for  softening,  the  ends  of  the  hairs  get  clotted 
with  paint ; the  cleaning  of  this  must  be  attended  to 
while  the  paint  is  wet.  The  better  way  to  do  this  is  by 
pressing  the  hairs  together  in  one  hand,  and  rubbing 
with  a clean  rag  in  the  other,  until  all  the  paint  is  re- 
moved. Be  careful  that  every  particle  of  paint  is  re- 
moved, or  your  badger  will  be  spoiled  for  delicate  soften- 
ing. It  is  likewise  of  equal  importance  that  all  the 
other  brushes  should  be  attended  to.  The  best  way  of 
proceeding  is,  after  you  have  done  painting,  wash  them 
out  in  turpentine,  and  occasionally  in  warm  water  and 
soap,  rubbing  on  the  palm  of  the  hand  until  the  froth  is 
colorless.  Rinse  the  brushes  out  in  clean,  cold  water 
to  free  them  from  soap,  press  all  the  water  out,  and 
straighten  the  hairs  to  dry.  In  rubbing  the  brushes  in 
your  hand,  be  careful  not  to  rub  too  hard,  or  the  hairs 
will  be  injured. 


OIL  PAINTING. 


56 


To  prepare  Canvas  or  Wood  for  Oil  Painting. 
— Coat  the  material  over  with  strong  and  warm  isinglass 
size  ; when  it  is  dry,  coat  it  over  with  oil  paint.  Dryers 
may  be  added  to  the  oil  paint,  such  as  litharge,  sugar 
of  lead,  etc,  to  facilitate  the  drying.  If  a smooth  sur- 
face is  desired,  it  will  he  requisite  to  rub  the  surface 
with  pumice  sand  and  water. 

Oils.  — Several  oils  are  used  by  artists  — poppy 
oil,  drying  oil,  nut  oil,  and  linseed  oil.  Linseed  is 
recommended  rather  than  the  others.  Drying  oil  is 
prepared  by  boiling  linseed  oil  and  litharge  together ; 
it  makes  it  much  darker,  but  it  dries  more  rapidly. 
Gold  size,  such  as  is  used  for  bronzing,  is  often  used  as 
a dryer  for  dark  colors.  Sugar  of  lead  is  likewise  a 
good  dryer,  and  can  be  ground  in  with  any  color  to  fa- 
cilitate the  drying.  Megilp  is  an  indispensable  article 
in  oil  painting;  it  serves  as  a good  vehicle,  and  tempers 
colors  to  any  tint  requisite  for  glazing  or  scumbling. 
It  is  made  with  equal  parts  of  strong  mastic  and 
clarified  oil.  Artists  differ  very  much  in  the  compounds 
used  for  drying,  each  one  concocting  a vehicle  of  his 
own,  keeping  it  a secret,  and  imagining  he  has  some- 
thing superior  to  any  one  else.  Our  recommendation  is, 


56 


OIL  PAINTING. 


to  use  such  as  you  can  buy  : it  is  a very  good  and  ser- 
viceable article.  If  you  make  it  yourself,  go  according 
to  the  receipt  given  above,  which  will  make  a good,  ser- 
viceable vehicle  for  general  use.  Copal  varnish  is  some- 
times used,  instead  of  mastic. 

In  oil  painting,  as  in  water  color  painting,  there  are 
several  kinds  of  manipulation  peculiar  to  the  different 
styles.  Water  color  has  its  own  treatment  of  erasing, 
rubbing,  and  wiping  out,  stippling,  etc.,  while  oil  paint- 
ing glories  in  glazing,  scumbling,  dragging,  etc.  Dif- 
ferent artists  have  very  various  methods  of  manipula- 
tion to  produce  the  same  effect,  and  yet  each  is  truthful 
to  nature. 

Explanation  op  Technical  Teems  used  in  Oil 
Painting.  Glazing.  — To  glaze  is  to  coat  thinly  or 
thickly  over  a portion  of  the  picture  with  transparent 
color : if  the  glaze  is  wanted  thin  and  pale,  megilp,  or 
oil,  is  added  to  dilute  the  strength  of  the  color.  Semi- 
transparent and  opaque  colors  are  sometimes  used  for 
glazing,  but  they  are  so  diluted  with  megilp  or  oil,  that 
they  are  rendered  nearly  transparent.  With  opaque 
colors  used  in  this  way  a good  representation  of  smoke, 
dust,  or  vapor  can  be  produced,  likewise  misty  and  hazy 


Oil,  PAINTING. 


57 


appearances.  Glazing  must  never  be  attempted  until  the 
under  paint  is  perfectly  dry,  or  the  color  will  mix  with 
the  glaze,  and  destroy  all  the  effect  you  have  secured. 

Scumbling  is  a term  used  for  reducing  any  part  of 
a picture  that  is  too  forcibly  painted.  A bristle  brush  is 
best  adapted  for  this  purpose,  charged  sparingly  with 
opaque  color,  of  the  tone  you  wish,  drawing  it  lightly 
over  the  parts,  so  as  to  modify  them,  make  them  cooler, 
grayer,  and  less  defined.  Good  distant  atmospheric  ef- 
fects are  produced  by  scumbling ; the  under  color  must 
in  all  cases  be  firm  and  dry,  or  the  bristle  brush  will 
disturb  it. 

Handling  is  another  term  for  manipulation,  and 
means  the  method  of  working  the  brush  to  produce 
certain  effects. 

Dragging  or  Dry  Touching . — This  process  is  used 
when  certain  effects  are  wanted  in  the  finishing.  The 
brush,  being  charged  with  thick  paint,  is  held  loosely 
in  the  hand,  and  dragged  over  certain  parts ; a portion 
of  the  color  sticks  to  the  part  of  the  picture  with  which 
the  hair  thus  gently  comes  in  contact. 

Management  of  Light.  — When  painting  at  the 
easel,  the  light  should  come  over  the  left  shoulder ; if 


58 


OIL  PAINTING 


the  light  is  from  a side  window,  cover  the  lower  part 
with  a cloth  or  hoard.  A north  light  is  preferable  to  any 
other,  because  it  is  more  uniform.  After  painting,  the 
brushes  should  be  washed,  the  palette  well  cleaned, 
never  leaving  paint  on  it  over  night.  If  there  he  more 
color  on  your  palette  than  you  like  to  throw  away,  procure 
some  small  pieces  of  glass,  three  or  four  inches  square ; put 
the  paint  on  these,  and  place  them  in  clean  water  : most 
of  the  colors  will  keep  good  for  a considerable  time,  if 
immersed  in  water  and  the  dust  kept  from  them. 

Look  well  to  the  blender  every  time  it  is  used. 

How  to  commence  an  Oil  Picture.  — If  you  are 
sufficiently  accurate  in  sketching,  you  can  with  charcoal, 
or  white  crayon,  make  a few  guiding  marks  ; then  mark 
in  correctly  with  lead  pencil,  dusting  off  the  crayon  or 
charcoal  as  you  proceed.  If  the  subject  is  complicated, 
the  better  way  is  to  make  a clear,  correct  outline  on  a 
sheet  of  paper,  and  trace  it  on  the  canvas  by  means  of 
tracing  paper  ; then  sketch  it  with  a lead  pencil.  Some 
artists  sketch  with  umber,  diluted  with  oil.  The  canvas 
is  now  ready  for  the  first  coloring.  Begin  by  preparing 
tints  for  the  sky.  As  white  enters  into  this  preparation 
pretty  extensively  it  is  requisite  to  get  sufficient  from  the 


OIL  PAINTING. 


59 


tube  at  once,  and  tbin  it  with  oil,  as  it  is  considerably  too 
thick  for  use  in  this  stage  of  the  painting.  Sky  tints  are 
composed  of  white,  French  or  permanent  blue,  vermilion, 
Naples  yellow,  and  yellow  ocher.  Mix  them  as  near  the 
tints  as  the  subject  demands.  The  same  tints,  strength- 
ened with  more  color,  will  do  for  the  mountains,  using 
a little  more  of  the  yellow  ocher  in  the  mid-distance,  and 
working  gradually  toward  the  foreground,  for  which  mix 
a set  of  requisite  tints,  keeping  them  all  separate,  and 
painting  with  firmness,  placing  the  color  at  once  where  it 
is  to  remain.  In  some  paintings,  two,  three,  or  more  sit- 
tings are  requisite  to  complete  what  is  called  the  first 
painting. 

Second  Painting.  — It  is  requisite  for  the  first  paint- 
ing to  be  dry  before  commencing  the  second.  Prepare 
the  palette  with  the  required  tints  for  the  clouds,  and 
paint  them  in  with  a little  more  attention  to  the  shape, 
and  light  and  shade.  When  done,  soften  with  the  blend- 
er. The  mountains  come  next  in  order  : attend  more 
particularly  to  their  shapes  and  different  shades  ; and,  as 
a general  rule,  let  the  early  painting  be  of  a light  style  of 
color,  for  in  finishing  the  colors  are  cooled  down  by  the 
process  of  glazing  and  scumbling.  All  the  colors  in  dry- 
ing sink,  and  will  partake  a little  of  the  color  upon  which 


60 


OIL  PAINTING. 


they  are  laid.  This  second  painting  should  give  a good 
idea  of  the  general  effect  of  what  the  picture  will  be. 

Third  Painting. —A  few  touches  of  scumbling  may 
be  required  to  aid  the  effect  of  the  distance  ; or  a little 
glazing  and  scumbling  may  be  wanted,  to  bring  out  cer- 
tain desirable  effects  in  the  middle  ground.  The  tints 
used  for  these  purposes  may  be,  as  occasion  requires, 
either  brighter  or  darker  than  the  parts  to  which  they 
are  applied.  In  this  stage  of  the  painting,  do  not  attempt 
too  much  at  one  sitting,  as  the  different  glazings  may  in- 
terfere with  each  other,  and  destroy  the  transparent  effect. 
It  is  much  better  to  let  the  colors  dry  gradually,  and  re- 
peat the  glazing  at  another  time. 

Observations.  — 1st.  The  sky  in  some  pictures  is 
very  important,  having  an  influence  over  the  entire  paint- 
ing. In  preparing  sky  tints,  they  are  gradually  more  or 
less  mixed  with  white.  The  tints  are  kept  lighter  as  they 
approach  the  sun  ; the  colors  vary,  but  they  should  be 
produced  by  few.  The  most  useful  sky  colors  are  white, 
French  or  permanent  blue,  vermilion,  madder  lake,  Naples 
yellow,  and  yellow  ocher. 

2d.  The  boundary  sky  line,  or  extreme  distance,  varies 
very  much  in  tone  ; sometimes  distinctly  seen,  at  others 
scarcely  distinguished  from  the  horizontal  tones.  Suita- 


OIL  PAINTING. 


61 


ble  colors  must  be  selected  to  paint  in  these  effects.  Dis- 
tant mountains  will  sometimes  have  their  summits  quite 
visible,  and  their  bases,  although  much  nearer,  not  seen  ; 
this  is  occasioned  by  mists  and  vapors.  To  obtain  this 
effect,  scumbling  must  be  resorted  to. 

3d.  If  it  be  possible,  paint  in  the  distance  while  the 
sky  is  moist,  with  the  same  tints,  only  stronger,  as  the 
case  may  be.  If  time  will  not  allow,  scumble  over  the 
lower  part  of  the  sky  at  the  next  painting.  This  method 
is  sometimes  attended  with  better  effect  than  the  other. 

4th.  As  the  objects  advance  toward  the  foreground,  a 
little  more  distinctness  of  color  may  be  given.  Acci- 
dental touches  of  light  give  important  aid  by  separating 
the  foliage,  and  different  objects  through  the  picture,  from 
distance  to  foreground.  Such  colors  as  terre  verte,  In- 
dian red,  Venetian  red,  Antwerp  blue,  emerald  green, 
and  raw  sienna,  may  be  added  to  the  colors  already  enu- 
merated. Emerald  green  may  be  objected  to  by  some 
artists  ; to  such  we  would  recommend  to  try  with  ver- 
milion or  one  of  the  bright  reds,  and  judge  for  them- 
selves. The  grays  produced  by  these  two  colors  can  be 
varied  with  a little  Vandyke  brown,  or  Naples  yellow. 

5th.  Trees  form  an  important  item  in  general  landscape. 


6 


62 


OIL  PAINTING. 


The  color  and  shape  should  be  attended  to,  and  the  dispo- 
sition of  the  branches  carefully  studied.  Pencil  in  the 
foliage  against  the  sky,  and  all  the  extreme  parts,  neatly 
with  a small  brush. 

6th.  In  working  up  foregrounds,  do  not  elaborate 
them  with  a pre-raphaelite  minuteness,  or  it  might  inter- 
fere with  the  rest  of  the  picture.  The  landscape  is  not 
intended  to  be  painted  with  botanical  accuracy  ; nor,  on  the 
other  hand,  should  you  be  too  broad,  coarse,  and  careless, 
but  finish  with  a general  harmonious  keeping  of  the  whole. 

7th.  The  distance  must,  to  a certain  degree,  melt  into 
the  horizon,  so  as  to  know  where  ethereal  finishes,  and 
where  solidity  begins ; the  mid-distance  should  be  made 
out  more  clearly,  and  particular  attention  should  be  paid 
to  the  details  of  the  foreground. 

8th.  It  is  well  to  have  a glass  slab,  about  seven  or 
eight  inches  square,  in  addition  to  your  wooden  palette, 
on  which  to  rub  colors,  as  it  is  requisite  to  have  some 
colors  in  powder  — a few  that  are  seldom  used.  On 
the  glass  slab  they  can  be  mixed  or  ground  when  occa- 
sion requires. 

Figures.  — Figure  drawing  is  an  indispensable  ac- 
cessory in  landscape  painting.  For  the  study  of  the 


OIL  PAINTING. 


68 


human  figure,  there  is  no  better  way  than  the  study  of 
feet,  hands,  heads,  etc.,  from  casts.  The  introduction  of 
figures  in  landscape  serve  not  only  to  enliven  and  break 
the  monotony  of  some  passages,  but  it  serves  as  a rela- 
tive measurement  — a scale  whereby  we  can  form  ideas 
of  the  real  size  of  objects.  The  hight  of  an  average 
figure  is  eight  times  that  of  its  head.  This  division  can 
easily  be  remembered.  If  a perpendicular  line  is  drawn, 
allow  half  of  it  for  the  lower  portion  of  the  body,  and 
half  for  the  upper  — from  shoulder  to  shoulder  two 
heads  wide. 

Hints  about  Panorama,  Map,  and  Scene 
Painting. 

KE  strong  cloth  (sail  cloth  or 
canvas)  of  the  requisite  dimen- 
sions, and  stretch  it  on  a frame  ; 
coat  it  thoroughly  with  parch- 
ment size,  and  when  dry  ap- 
ply a coating  of  common 
slaked  lime,  or  of  chalk  with 
some  size  with  it : when  dry  it 
The  colors  used  for  this  kind  of 


64 


OIL  PAINTING. 


painting  are  mostly  the  common  paints  — chalk,  (carbon- 
ate of  lime,)  vermilion,  the  two  siennas,  the  two  um- 
bers, black,  Prussian  blue,  all  the  ochers,  Brunswick 
green,  emerald  green,  all  the  chromes,  mineral  red,  and 
the  lakes.  They  are  mixed  with  a size  made  of  isinglass, 
glue,  or  parchment : bristle  brushes  of  various  sizes  are 
mostly  used.  For  extra  brilliant  effects,  leaf  silver, 
Dutch  metal,  and  silver  foil  are  stuck  on  with  oil  size 
in  the  same  manner  as  for  gilding,  (See  Gilding .)  This 
kind  of  painting  is  now  called  “ distemper  painting.” 
A bowl  should  be  had  for  each  color,  likewise  a brush. 
The  tints  should  appear  a little  darker  when  mixed 
than  what  you  want  them  to  be,  as  they  dry  lighter  : 
wash  the  brushes  in  warm  water  when  you  wish  to 
clean  them. 

If  the  designs  require  to  be  painted  in  oil,  the  can- 
vas is  prepared  with  the  parchment  size  in  the  same 
way ; then  coat  over  twice  with  oil  paint,  white,  then 
a pearly  white.  When  dry,  proceed  as  with  an  oil 
painting. 

It  should  be  remembered,  in  all  paintings  of  this  char- 
acter, that  fine  and  delicate  touchings  are  not  necessary ; 
indeed  they  are  not  suitable  in  any  way,  as  they  detract 


OIL  PAINTING. 


65 


from  the  boldness  of  the  picture,  deadening  the  sharp- 
ness of  outline,  and  giving  a tame  effect  to  the  whole 
painting.  These  pictures  are  intended  to  be  looked  at 
from  a distance,  and  consequently  the  lines  must  be  bold, 
and  the  contrasts  of  light  and  shade  very  apparent.  To 
obtain  these  absolutely  indispensable  requisites  requires 
practice  ; and  the  pupil  will  notice  that  those  parts  which 
look  harsh  and  coarse  when  closely  examined,  are  the 
very  portions  which  give  character  to  the  picture  when 
viewed  from  an  appropriate  distance.  All  panorama  and 
scene  painting  is  based  on  this  principle.  These  remarks 
are  equally  applicable  to  any  object  which  is  to  be  placed 
at  a distance  from,  or  elevated  above,  the  beholder. 


Crayon  Drawing. 


facility  with  which  a drawing  can  be 
completed  ; this  is  manifest  in  out-door  sketch- 
ing, or  upon  any  subject  of  which  you  wish  a 
few  memoranda,  and  have  but  little  time  to 
obtain  them.  The  advantage  of  working  with 


RAWING  in  crayon  is  much  easier  of 
I execution  than  oil  painting.  One  ad- 
‘ vantage  over  oil  and  water  color  is  the 


6 * 


66 


OIL  PAINTING. 


dry  material  does  away  with  the  tediousness  of  waiting  the 
drying  of  oil  or  water  color.  Crayon  or  pastels  are  put  up 
in  boxes  of  assorted  tints  for  portraits  or  landscapes,  and 
by  the  blending  of  these  every  kind  of  shade  and  color 
can  be  obtained,  as  in  oil  painting.  Get  dry  colors,  grind 
them  very  fine  in  water,  add  any  of  the  following  gums, 
dissolved  in  water : gum  arabic,  gum  tragacanth,  honey 
water,  sugar  candy  water ; a portion  of  this  is  added 
merely  to  bind  the  color  : some  colors  require  a little 
more  than  others.  If  too  much  gum  is  put  in,  they 
will  be  hard,  and  not  rub  off  so  readily.  Gradations  of 
tint  are  made  by  adding  chalk  or  plaster  to  the  color  ; for 
instance,  we  will  select  carmine;  add  two  parts  of  chalk 
to  one  of  carmine,  and  call  that  one  tint ; add  three  parts 
chalk  to  one  of  carmine  — call  that  another ; add  five 
parts  chalk  to  one  of  carmine  — call  that  another ; and 
so  with  all  the  colors,  in  any  number  of  tints  to  suit 
yourself.  In  order  to  form  the  color  into  crayons,  press 
it  and  roll  it  out  the  size  you  wish ; place  it  upon  ab- 
sorbent paper,  - — white  blotting  paper  is  . the  best,  — 
and  let  them  dry  gradually. 

Crayon  Papers.  — Almost  any  kind  of  paper  may 
be  used  by  being  previously  rubbed  with  cuttle  fish,  (if 


MONOCHROMATIC  DRAWING. 


67 


it  have  a very  smooth  surface ;)  hut  there  are  papers 
manufactured  especially  for  crayon  painting  and  these 
have  the  advantage  of  greatly  assisting  and  facilitating 
the  progress  by  readily  receiving  the  crayon. 

A good  paper  for  portraiture  is  pumice  paper.  The 
paper  is  prepared  with  a coat  of  starch,  or  isinglass,  put 
over  the  surface  while  warm,  after  which  it  is  dashed  all 
over  equally  with  fine  pumice  sand.  Panels  of  wood, 
mill-boards,  and  canvas  can  be  prepared  in  the  same  way. 
The  pupil  is  recommended  to  study  the  designs  in  pencil 
drawing  ; many  of  the  principles  there  illustrated  are  of 
equal  use  in  this. 

Directions  for  Monochromatic  Drawing.  — Take 
pasteboard  or  drawing  paper  of  good  quality,  size  with 
isinglass,  or  paint  with  pure  white  lead.  When  this  has 
been  thoroughly  dried,  smooth  it  well  with  sandpaper, 
and  paint  again  perfectly  smooth  ; while  this  coat  is  yet 
hardly  dry,  sift  upon  it  pulverized  white  marble,  through 
fine  muslin.  Marble  can  be  easily  pulverized  after  burn- 
ing it.  When  dry,  shake  off  the  loose  particles.  (The 
process  is  rather  tedious,  and  requires  care,  especially  in 
the  marbling.  The  paper  all  prepared  can  be  had  of  the 
publishers  of  this  book,  or  at  any  artist-supply  store.) 


68 


MONOCHROMATIC  DRAWING. 


If  you  wish  a tinted  surface,  add  color  to  the  white 
paint. 

You  will  need  for  this  painting  a knife  or  eraser,  cray- 
ons, fine  sponge,  pencils,  cork,  rubber,  piece  of  kid,  and 
crayon  holders.  Fold  several  pieces  of  kid  and  soft 
leather,  and  use  in  shading  the  sharp  folded  corners  ; 
also  double  some  pieces  over  the  ends  of  pointed  and 
rounded  sticks ; the  learner  will  find  use  for  several 
kinds.  Always  commence  painting  with  the  dark  shades, 
and  blend  gradually  into  the  light.  For  very  dark 
shades,  rub  the  crayon  directly  upon  the  surface  with  a 
light  hand,  and  blend  off  carefully. 

Paint  the  sky  first  as  in  water  colors.  It  is  well  to 
shade  distant  mountains  very  light  at  first,  and  be  sure  to 
have  the  edges  soft  and  faint. 

For  water,  scrape  some  black  crayon  into  a powder, 
and  lay  it  on  your  board  with  the  kid,  working  it  hori- 
zontally, and  making  the  lights  and  shades  stronger 
as  it  comes  nearer.  Your  sponge  may  do  good  in  ren- 
dering the  water  transparent.  Make  sharp  lights  with  the 
penknife. 

Ruins  overgrown  with  moss,  and  dilapidated  build- 
ings, make  pretty  pictures.  We  have  seen  moonlight 


COLORED  CRAYON. 


69 


views,  in  this  style  of  painting,  more  beautiful  than 
any  thing  else. 

Great  care  must  he  taken  to  do  the  foliage  well ; many 
a picture,  which  would  have  been  good  otherwise,  has 
been  spoiled  by  a stiff,  ugly  tree.  By  a delicate  use  of 
the  round  point  of  a penknife,  beautiful  effects  can  be 
produced  in  the  crayon  shading. 

Figures,  animals,  etc.,  are  put  in  last,  and  a person 
knowing  how  to  shade  in  pencil  will  find  no  difficulty 
in  this. 

Colored  Crayon.  — The  monochromatic  board  is 
very  good  for  this  kind  of  painting. 

Sometimes  we  make  a strong  frame  of  the  size  of  the 
picture  which  we  intend  to  paint,  and  upon  this  we 
stretch  three  thicknesses  of  paper ; then  size  or  paint 
it,  and  sift  marble  dust  equally  over  every  part  while 
wet.  When  dry,  the  superfluous  particles  are  blown  or 
dusted  off. 

If  you  use  the  monochromatic  board,  it  will  be  well 
for  you  to  transfer  your  picture,  as  in  papier  mache 
painting.  If  you  stretch  your  paper  on  a frame,  draw 
the  picture  on  the  paper,  and  shade  it  nicely  with  Indian 
ink  (water  color)  before  sizing  or  painting  it. 


TO 


COLORED  CRAYON. 


For  a group  of  fruit  and  flowers,  first  arrange  the 
natural  ones  and  study  the  effect.  For  a head,  we  con- 
sider the  drapery  and  groundwork  ; and  here  allow  us 
to  advise  all  persons  to  study  penciling  before  attempt- 
ing this  kind  of  painting ; also,  to  begin  by  painting 
simple  and  easy  things.  To  those  who  absolutely  wish 
a colored  picture,  and  have  little  ability  to  draw  it, 
we  recommend  that  they  stretch  a nice  engraving  land- 
scape or  head  on  the  frame,  at  the  outset,  and  pre- 
pare it  with  the  sizing  and  sand.  This  gives  a good 
foundation. 

The  picture  being  drawn,  proceed  to  fill  in  the  back- 
ground, not  of  one  uniform  tint,  but  varying  in  shade 
and  color  according  to  the  picture  ; for  example,  if  the 
lights  in  your  picture  are  on  the  right  side,  the  darkest 
shade  in  the  groundwork  must  he  placed  on  the  right 
side,  and  vice  versa.  See  that  the  background  be 
smooth,  the  dark  shades  of  rich  brown  or  green,  and 
the  light  of  gray,  French  blue,  etc. ; then,  — 

1st.  Paint  the  dark  shades  of  your  picture  with  black 
crayon,  and  rub  it  in  with  a soft  cork.  The  cork  pencils 
ready  prepared  are  best  for  that  purpose,  or  rubbers  of 
soft  leather  will  answer. 


COLORED  CRAYON. 


71 


2d.  Put  in  the  light,  clear  shades,  as  they  belong, 
with  the  soft  and  medium  crayons,  using  the  utmost 
care  in  blending  with  the  cork,  (or  leather,)  to  avoid  a 
dingy  and  dirty  appearance. 

3d.  Lay  on  the  browrns  and  other  dark  colors.  Where 
it  is  necessary  to  put  brown  over  black,  or  to  blend  it 
in  with  it,  do  not  rub  the  two  together ; use  your 
finger,  as  well  as  the  cork. 

4th.  Finish  the  picture  with  the  hard  crayon,  laying 
on  in  lines  and  blending  with  the  cork. 

Having  a variety  of  colors  for  other  styles  of  painting,  we 
leave  you  to  use  your  judgment  in  selecting  from  your 
boxes.  You  must  have  a box  of  soft  and  a box  of  hard 
crayons,  from  which  to  obtain  what  you  need. 

Always  try  the  colors  on  a bit  of  waste  paper. 

Do  not  expect  to  have  just  the  right  thing  by  simply 
laying  on  the  colors  once ; you  must  work  line  over  line 
very  carefully,  and  many  times.  The  artist  must  exer- 
cise great  care  that  the  picture  does  not  become  soiled 
in  the  delicate  parts. 

In  addition  to  the  colors  you  find  in  your  boxes,  fur- 
nish yourself  with  black  and  white  crayons  of  different 
tones,  and  a good  supply  of  carmine.  We  prefer  the 


72 


COLORED  CRAYON. 


lump  to  the  pencil.  French  blue  is  much  used  to  pro- 
duce clear  lights. 

Colored  crayons  are  well  adapted  for  landscape  drawing, 
and  for  this  a harder  crayon  than  that  used  for  portraiture 
is  preferable.  The  most  useful  colors  are  white , (white 
Italian  chalk,)  straw  color  and  light  yellow,  (pale  and 
middle,  deepening  to  sober  full  yellows  of  the  yellow  and 
and  brown  ocher  hues.)  Blue,  (bright  azure  tints  of 
varied  strength,  pale  and  dark.)  Gray,  (pale  and  deep, 
of  blue,  neutral,  and  warm  tones.)  Reds,  (vermilion 
tints,  pale  and  middle,  Indian  red.)  Blacks,  (Nos.  1,  2, 
and  3.)  The  paper  must  be  of  some  available  tint,  as  its 
color  appears  through  almost  all  portions  of  the  work  ; a 
low-toned  olive  tint  has  been  found  very  available.  Hav- 
ing the  paper  an  inch  or  two  larger  than  the  proposed 
picture,  sketch  the  design  lightly  with  the  black  crayon 
No.  1,  making  sky  and  broad  tints  with  the  flat  surface 
of  broken  pieces  of  crayon,  (1  and  2,)  rubbed  in  with  the 
finger ; the  breadths  of  the  nearer  and  remote  distances 
are  laid  in  with  pieces  of  broken  crayon  blended  and 
worked  together.  The  mountains,  trees,  rocks,  etc.,  aie 
drawn  in  with  black  crayons,  and  then  appropriately 
tinted  and  glazed  with  the  colored  crayons. 


PRESERVING  DRAWINGS. 


73 


Method  of  fixing  Crayon  Drawings  by  Steam. 
-—Crayon  drawings  are  more  likely  than  any  other  kind 
to  become  disfigured  and  defaced,  if  handled  carelessly. 
A method  of  preserving  them  is  highly  spoken  of  by 
those  who  practice  this  branch.  Get  a tin  vessel  with  a 
tight-fitting  lid,  and  a pipe  projecting  from  the  side  of 
the  vessel,  five  or  six  inches  long,  with  a small  head 
perforated  with  numerous  holes,  similar  to  a common 
watering  can  ; into  this  vessel  put  two  ounces  of  the 
strongest  alcohol,  and  two  drams  of  powdered  sugar 
candy.  Boil  it  over  a spirit  lamp ; the  steam  which 
issues  from  the  pipe  must  be  directed  to  the  back  of 
your  picture,  until  the  paper  and  colors  are  perfectly 
saturated. 

To  preserve  Pencil  Drawings.  — Best  alcohol, 
two  ounces  ; camphor,  four  grains.  When  dissolved  it 
is  ready  for  use.  If  the  drawing  is  on  ordinary  draw- 
ing paper,  the  solution  can  be  coated  on  the  back  of 
the  drawing,  and  the  paper  will  readily  absorb  suffi- 
cient of  the  liquid  to  hold  the  lead  pencil.  If  the 
drawing  is  on  Bristol  board,  it  will  be  necessary  to  coat 
it  over  rapidly  on  the  drawing  side ; or,  what  is  better, 
put  the  solution  in  a shallow  dish,  and  slip  the  draw- 


7 


74 


PRESERVING  DRAWINGS. 


ing  through  ; see  that  the  liquid  has  been  all  over  it ; 
then  stick  a pin  through  one  corner,  and  let  it  hang 
up  perpendicularly  to  dry.  Another  way  is,  to  use 
weak  skim  milk,  and  immerse  your  drawing  in  that, 
drying  it  in  the  same  manner  as  before. 


(Snriatt  fainting. 


(75) 


ROCURE  a light  pine  frame,  a trifle  larger 
than  the  engraving  ; (this  need  not  he  of 
the  nicest  workmanship  ; simply  four  pieces  of  wood  nailed 
together,  to  act  as  a support  to  the  picture  while  painting  ;) 
then  moisten  your  engraving  with  water,  and  while  wet, 
paste  it  to  the  frame  ; dry  slowly,  not  over  a Are,  and  it 
will  become  quite  smooth  and  tight ; now  moisten  again, 
on  the  wrong  side , with  pure  spirits  of  turpentine,  and 
7 * (77) 


78 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


while  wet,  with  a coat  of  Grecian  varnish  on  the  same 
side,  which  continue  to  apply,  (keeping  it  damp  only,  not 
too  wet,  or  it  will  filter  through  in  spots,)  until  it  is 
wholly  transparent , and  without  spots.  If  it  is  found 
difficult  to  remove  the  spots,  apply  the  second  coat  of  spirits, 
and  afterward  the  Grecian  varnish.  When  ready  to 
paint,  the  back  will  have  an  even  gloss  all  over  it.  When 
perfectly  clear,  it  should  remain  two  or  three  days  before 
painting,  which  is  done  on  the  side  that  you  have  var- 
nished, the  shading  of  the  engraving  serving  the  same 
purpose  in  painting ; this  process  is  so  simple  that  a child 
able  to  read  this  can  easily  understand  it.  Each  picture 
we  publish  for  these  arts  has  complete  and  special  rules 
how  to  paint  and  how  to  mix  colors  for  each  part,  etc. 
A list  of  our  pictures  will  be  found  at  the  close  of  this 
article. 

All  materials  used  can  be  had  of  the  publishers  at  the 
lowest  prices  ; also,  a new  and  choice  assortment  of  small, 
cheap,  trial  engravings,  which  will  make  desirable  pictures 
when  completed  ; Grecian  varnish  of  the  best  quality,  in 
bottles  at  33,  45,  and  62  cents  each ; Winsor  & New- 
ton’s fine  English  oil  tube  paints.  Five  colors  are 
needed,  and  more  might  be  used  to  advantage;  those 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


T9 


actually  needed  are  flake  white,  ivory  black,  permanent 
blue,  deep  chrome,  Chinese  vermilion.  Yellow  ocher, 
Indian  red,  emerald  green,  Vandyke  brown,  raw  and 
burnt  sienna,  the  lakes  and  some  others,  can  be  used  to 
advantage,  although  from  the  five  first  mentioned  almost 
any  shade  of  color  can  be  made.  For  flesh  color,  white,  a 
trifle  blue  and  vermilion  ; for  the  cheeks,  rub  through  a 
little  vermilion  with  the  finger,  after  painting  with  the 
flesh  color  ; for  other  shades,  see  special  directions  fur- 
nished with  our  pictures,  as  mentioned  above.  A flat 
varnish  brush  is  also  needed,  price  from  25  to  37  cents  ; 
two  or  three  paint  brushes,  (sable  hair  are  best  with  long 
handles,  costing  17  cents  each  ;)  a little  spirits  of  turpen- 
tine ; a rag  to  wipe  your  brushes ; a bottle  of  bleached 
drying  oil,  20  cents ; Outside  varnish,  20  cents ; this 
last  must  be  put  on  very  thin,  after  your  picture  is 
dry,  on  the  face,  with  a stiff  brush ; then  frame  close 
without  a glass.  Boxes  of  materials  for  Grecian  and  An- 
tique painting  cost  $3.50,  5.00  and  7.50  according  to  the 
number  of  articles  contained. 

Directions  e or  Grecian  Varnish. -—Three  ounces 
fir  balsam,  two  ounces  fourth  proof  alcohol,  (none  but  the 
best  will  cut  the  balsam.)  Mix  well,  and  add  one  ounce 
pure  spirits  of  turpentine. 


80 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


HOW  TO  FRAME  A PICTURE  AFTER  IT  IS  PAINTED. 

Let  it  remain  in  the  frame  in  which  it  is  first  stretched  till 
it  is  fully  dry  and  hard  ; then  cut  it  out  carefully  and  frame, 
taking  care  that  it  be  not  cut  too  small  or  too  large.  If 
too  small,  the  back  board  will  not  hold  it  in  well ; if  too 
large,  it  touches  against  the  side  in  parts,  and  causes  it 
to  wrinkle.  To  have  it  just  right,  lay  it  upon  a flat  surface 
and  the  frame  on  it,  and  mark  the  size  with  a sharp  point, 
and  then  cut  evenly.  If,  after  all  your  care,  it  should  wrinkle 
in  time,  take  it  out  of  the  frame  and  make  another  stretcher 
or  frame  of  wood,  (as  first  directed  to  stretch  the  picture 
on,  only  stronger  perhaps,)  that  will  just  fit  your  gilt 
frame  ; then  take  a piece  of  strong  cotton  cloth,  one  or 
two  inches  larger  than  the  picture  all  round,  and  paste  the 
back  of  the  picture  and  the  cloth  ; after  pasting  let  both 
stand  a few  minutes  to  become  pliable,  then  lay  the  one 
on  the  other,  pasted  sides  together,  and  rub  evenly  till 
well  fastened  ; now  tack  with  small  nails  or  lace  tacks 
tightly  to  the  frame ; place  the  frame  against  some  smooth 
surface,  and  secure  it,  while  drying,  with  larger  nails  driven 
through  the  frame,  after  making  suitable  holes.  It  will 
dry  smooth  and  tight  if  properly  done. 

Varnish  the  picture  but  once  on  the  face,  after  it  is 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


81 


framed,  (not  before,)  with  Outside  varnish ; this  must 
he  put  on  evenly,  and  with  care  that  it  does  not  run ; 
have  hut  little  in  the  brush  at  a time.  Grecian  varnish 
should  he  of  the  best  materials  ; if  you  cannot  get  ours, 
make  it  by  our  rules,  and  see  that  the  ingredients  are  of 
the  first  quality  and  unmixed. 

Professor  Day’s  Method. 

HIS  style  of  painting,  lately  in- 
troduced into  this  country,  has 
already  gained  for  itself  a wide 
circle  of  patrons,  owing  to  the 
readiness  with  which  it  is  ac- 
quired. This  and  Oriental 
painting  have  run  a pretty 
even  race  — the  latter  glorying 
in  a gorgeous  array  of  brilliant  colors,  with  sparkling 
aids,  the  former  of  a more  sombre  and  antique  appearance. 
Grecian  painting  is  not  a new  style  with  an  old  name,  as 
some  think,  but  an  old  style  with  probably  a fanciful 
name  ; for  I can  well  remember  doing  it  in  England  when 
a boy,  and  hearing  old  artists  say  that  they  did  the  same 


82 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


thing  in  their  boyhood.  This  method  of  painting  is  more 
satisfactory  to  mediocre  painters  than  any  other  style  as  the 
difference  between  a good  artist  and  an  inferior  one  is  not 
so  readily  distinguished.  It  admits  of  all  classes  of  paint- 
ers, from  the  beginner  to  the  finished  artist ; the  veriest 
tyro  producing  a pleasing  picture  with  a little  care,  at  the 
same  time  advancing  a step  in  the  study  of  color.  Many 
celebrated  artists  do  not  hesitate  to  avail  themselves  of 
the  Grecian  style,  by  commencing  the  picture,  (after  being 
finished  in  the  Grecian  method,)  as  if  it  were  only  in  the 
dead  color  for  a highly -finished  picture;  shading  and 
manipulating  with  the  various  tints  in  opaque  color,  glaz- 
ing and  painting,  scumbling  and  painting  again  until  the 
desired  effect  is  obtained.  When  finished  highly  in  this 
way  by  an  experienced  artist,  it  is  very  difficult  to  tell 
it  from  an  exquisite  picture  on  copper.  I was  intro- 
duced, many  years  ago,  to  a gentleman  in  Scotland,  who 
had  a very  valuable  collection  of  modern  and  ancient  paint- 
ings. After  looking  through  several  well-stocked  rooms, 
he  said  he  had  one  (a  gem)  in  reserve  for  me  — an  original 
by  Raphael,  a portrait  of  La  Fornarina.  I looked  at  it, 
knowing  that  it  was  not  the  size  of  the  original,  although 
it  was  painted  beautifully ; all  the  glowing  tints  of  nature 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


83 


so  carefully  handled  that  not  a brush  mark  was  visible. 
After  looking  at  it  some  time,  I thought  it  might  be  a 
carefully-painted  engraving  done  in  the  Grecian  style,  and 
mentioned  the  same  to  the  owner,  who  seemed  very  indig- 
nant at  my  plebeian  opinion  of  one  of  his  choicest  pictures. 
I took  the  painting  out  of  the  frame,  and,  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  my  conjecture,  explained  to  him  the  modus  ope- 
randi  of  Grecian  painting,  and  then  tore  up  a corner  of 
the  paper  to  satisfy  him  that  I was  right.  Of  course,  he 
was  very  much  astonished,  and  seemed  hardly  to  thank 
me  for  detecting  the  cheat,  and  opening  his  eyes  to  the 
fact.  The  painting  was  beautifully  done,  and  neatly 
pasted  on  canvas.  After  leaving  his  house,  I thought  I 
had  hardly  done  right  in  exposing  his  pet  original,  for  it 
was  a good  painting,  and  he  considered  it  invaluable  ; but 
the  mischief  was  done  and  it  was  too  late  for  remedy.  In 
the  course  of  a few  weeks  after  the  unfortunate  expose,  I 
accidentally  met  with  his  valet  de  chambre,  who,  in  con- 
versation, informed  me  that  La  Fornarina  was  deposed 
from  her  choice  locality  in  the  drawing-room,  and  was  at 
present  suffering  in  an  obscure  corner  in  the  housekeeper’s 
room ; but  the  butler,  who  had  an  eye  for  fceauty,  had 
offered  it  a prominent  place  in  his  sitting-room.  So  I 


84 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


presume  La  Fornarina  ever  after  had  her  eye  on  the  but- 
ler. Pardon  this  digression,  but  it  is  a true  occurrence, 
and  proves  pretty  conclusively  that  even  a lover  of  art  and 
a connoisseur  may  be  deceived  with  a painted  engraving. 

Directions.— 1st.  Procure  a pine  frame  about  an 
inch  in  thickness  and  half  an  inch  in  width,  the  inside  to 
measure  exactly  the  size  of  the  engraving. 

2d.  Place  the  frame  upon  the  engraving,  and  mark 
round  the  outside  with  a lead  pencil ; cut  down  the  paper 
with  scissors  to  the  pencil  line. 

3d.  Choose  the  best  side  of  your  pine  frame,  and  coat  it 
over  with  thick  paste. 

4th.  Place  your  engraving,  face  down,  on  a piece  of 
clean  white  paper  upon  a table ; saturate  your  engrav- 
ing thoroughly  with  a sponge  wet  • with  clean  water ; 
press  your  pasted  side  of  the  frame  firmly  down  upon  the 
picture  ; then  turn  it  over,  and  press  gently  with  the  flat 
of  your  hand,  so  as  to  have  it  stick  evidently  all  round  the 
edge  of  the  frame,  and  then  leave  it  till  entirely  dry. 

oth.  Pour  on  your  Grecian  varnish,  and  rub  it  in  with 
a bristle  brush ; repeat  this  four  or  five  times  at  inter- 
vals  of  ten  or  fifteen  minutes. 

6th.  When  thoroughly  transparent,  place  it  where  it 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


85 


will  be  free  from  dust  for  a week  or  so,  to  allow  it  to 
dry  ; it  will  then  be  ready  for  painting. 

Observations.  — 1st.  Great  care  must  be  taken  with 
the  pasting,  so  as  to  have  it  perfectly  secure,  as  many 
good  engravings  have  been  spoiled  by  inattention  to 
this  stage  of  the  process.  In  our  practice  we  find  it 
a more  certain  way  to  place  a damp  piece  of  paper  on 
the  middle  part  of  the  picture,  so  as  »to  keep  the  paper 
moist  until  the  pasted  edges  of  the  paper  are  sufficiently 
dry  to  resist  the  contraction  of  the  paper. 

2d.  The  engraving  while  moist  hangs  loosely,  but  as 
it  dries  (it  should  always  be  allowed  to  dry  gradually) 
it  becomes  quite  tight ; this  is  owing  to  the  expansion 
and  contraction  of  moist  and  dry  paper.  When  thor- 
oughly dry,  it  is  ready  for  varnishing.  Saturate  it  well 
the  first  time  with  the  varnish ; in  about  ten  minutes  the 
paper  will  probably  absorb  nearly  all  of  it : then  sat- 
urate it  a second  time.  Look  at  it  again  in  fifteen  min- 
utes, and  if  dull  parts  are  to  be  seen,  apply  more  varnish. 
This  process  of  varnishing  must  be  repeated  until  it  all 
shines,  and  is  completely  transparent.  Look  at  it  the 
next  day,  and  if  any  white  spots  are  visible,  apply  a 
coating  of  turpentine. 


8 


86 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


Treatment  oe  White  Spots.- — One  of  the  greatest 
difficulties  with  which  artists  in  Grecian  painting  have  to 
contend  is  the  breaking  out  of  white  spots  after  the 
picture  has  been  carefully  varnished  ; it  has  been 
facetiously  termed  the  “ white  spot  plague ,”  and  is 
certainly  as  great  an  eyesore  to  Grecian  painters  as 
any  plague  spots  to  the  world  at  large.  None  but  the 
initiated  can  imagine  the  chagrin  felt  by  the  artist, 
after,  as  he  imagines,  carefully  and  thoroughly  varnish- 
ing a choice  picture,  making  it  look  as  transparent  as 
clear  water,  and  placing  it  snugly  away  in  a corner 
free  from  dust,  with  a full  belief  that  all  is  safe,  on 
taking  it  up  some  subsequent  day  for  painting,  to  find 
that  the  plague  spots  have  appeared  perhaps  across  the 
face  and  neck  of  a beautiful  young  lady,  or  may  he  on 
the  lips  of  a sleeping  babe,  or  on  the  knee  of  a war- 
rior, threatening  to  lame  him  for  life,  or  making  a dis- 
tressing attack  on  the  eye  of  a coquette,  depriving  her 
of  her  magnetic  charms.  All  these,  and  many,  many 
more  have  we  been  subject  to  in  the  course  of  picture 
clearing.  The  great  panacea  for  these  white  plague 
spots  is  “ turpentine If  rubbed  on  the  hack  of  the 
picture  soon  after  they  make  their  appearance,  the  dis- 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


87 


aster  is  soon  remedied ; but  if  allowed  to  remain  for 
weeks  or  months,  it  is  very  difficult.  We  invariably 
proceed  as  follows : If  the  spots  come  out  a day  or 
two  after  varnishing,  coat  the  picture  on  the  back  with 
clear  turpentine,  and  let  it  remain  half  an  hour ; if  the 
spots  do  not  disappear  in  that  time,  repeat  the  process ; 
at  the  end  of  another  half  hour,  or  an  hour,  if  they  have 
not  disappeared,  and  the  turpentine  is  evaporated,  apply 
still  more : the  spots  are  sure  to  yield  sooner  or  later. 
When  they  have  disappeared,  and  the  turpentine  has 
all  evaporated,  or  nearly  so,  apply  one  more  generous 
coat  of  varnish,  and  leave  it ; in  all  probability,  white 
spots  will  never  again  mar  the  picture.  In  cases  where 
the  cleared  picture  has  remained  several  months  before 
being  discovered,  much  greater  perseverance  is  required. 
We  proceed  then  by  placing  the  picture  near  the  fire, 
face  down,  so  that  a moderate  heat  will  act  upon  it: 
apply  the  turpentine,  the  action  of  which  is  facilitated 
by  the  heat.  The  design  of  this  process  is  to  soften  the 
varnish,  then  weaken  it,  and  by  this  means  penetrate  the 
paper.  These  stubborn  cases  require  much  time  and 
perseverance;  but  if  you  feel  disposed  to  bestow  the 
time  and  trouble,  the  spots  are  sure  to  disappear.  In 


88 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


all  our  experience  we  never  have  had  one  failure ; indeed, 
if  this  treatment  is  persevered  in,  failure  is  out  of  the 
question.  The  Grecian  painter  will,  doubtless,  think  that 
this  is  considerable  trouble.  We  echo  the  thought,  and 
say,  yes,  it  is  considerable  trouble,  as  we  can  fully  testify, 
having  had  some  smart  pupils,  whose  pictures  we  have 
been  obliged  to  keep  in  a continual  turpentine  bath  for 
a couple  of  days ; and  we  fancy  we  hear  more  than  one 
shrewd  observer,  desirous  of  avoiding  it  if  possible,  ask 
if  there  is  any  way  of  avoiding  it.  We  answer,  yes; 
the  appearance  of  the  white  spots  is  caused  by  not  apply- 
ing as  much  varnish  as  the  paper  will  absorb.  The 
picture  should  be  well  watched  during  the  varnishing, 
and  as  soon  as  the  dull  parts  appear,  more  varnish 
should  be  applied,  for  those  are  just  the  places  where 
white  spots  would  make  their  appearance  if  allowed  to 
remain.  The  varnishing  should  be  continued  until  the 
whole  picture  has  a glassy  appearance.  On  the  other 

hand,  care  must  be  observed  not  to  get  on  too  much 
varnish;  for  by  running  into  this  extreme  upon  some 
warm  day,  when  Fahrenheit  indicates  about  100°  in  the 
shade,  the  colors  will  be  apt  to  float  from  their  places, 
owing  to  the  softening  of  the  gummy  varnish.  On  some 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING.  89 

pictures  white  spots  will  sometimes  appear,  with  their 
crystallized  radiations,  when  such  pictures  have  been 
painted  two  or  three  years.  The  spots  in  this‘  stage 
require  a very  different  treatment,  and  more  artistic  skill 
is  requisite.  The  part  affected  must  be  matched  very 
exactly  with  opaque  color,  the  precise  tint,  and  stippled 
in  on  the  right  side  with  a small  brush  ; this  is  the 
only  treatment  for  white  spots  starting  after  the  paint- 
ing is  finished. 

Articles  desirable  for  Grecian  Painting.  — 
Palette,  palette  knife,  one  inch  flat  bristle  brush,  one 
inch  flat  varnish  brush,  (we  use  two  different  brushes ; 
one  we  keep  entirely  for  the  Grecian  varnish,  the  other 
for  varnishing  over  the  front  writh  mastic  varnish  when 
finished,)  three  sized  sable  brushes,  (one  miniature  size.) 
Grecian  varnish,  mastic  varnish,  (or  Outside  varnish,) 
spirits  of  turpentine,  drying  and  nut  oil.  — Colors.  Flake 
white,  Naples  yellow,  raw  and  burnt  umbers,  Indian 
red,  Venetian  red,  vermilion,  rose  madder,  crimson  lake, 
Vandyke  brown,  raw  and  burnt  sienna,  Italian  pink, 
chrome  yellow,  deep  chrome,  yellow  ocher,  ivory  black, 
verdigris,  emerald  green,  Prussian  or  Antwerp  blue, 
cobalt  or  permanent  blue,  and  megilp. 


8* 


90 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


We  will  give  a few  general  hints  for  mixing  various 
tints,  without  reference  to  any  particular  picture.  They 
will  always  he  found  useful.  Flesh  tints , white,  Naples 
yellow  and  a little  vermilion ; sometimes  for  children, 
white  and  a very  little  vermilion  ; for  old  age,  (weather- 
beaten,) Indian  red  and  white.  Light  hair , raw  umber 
and  white  ; these  two  colors  will  give  all  the  shades  of 
light  and  dark  brown  hair.  Flaxen  hair , raw  sienna 
and  white.  Golden  hair , raw  sienna,  white,  and  a little 
burnt  sienna.  Distant  mountains , permanent  blue,  Na- 
ples yellow,  and  Venetian  red.  Nearer  ones , use  yellow 
ocher  instead  of  Naples  yellow.  Mid- distances,  the 
same,  sometimes  allowing  the  yellow  ocher  and  blue  to 
predominate.  Distant  foliage,  yellow  ocher,  deep  chrome, 
Antwerp  blue,  and  a little  Venetian  red.  Near  foliage, 
chrome  and  Antwerp  blue,  with  a little  white ; very 
bright  foliage,  emerald  green,  chrome  yellow,  and  a lit- 
tle white.  Brown  foliage,  burnt  sienna,  deep  chrome, 
and  Antwerp  blue ; Vandyke  brown,  substituted  for 
brown  sienna,  will  make  another.  Grays,  white  and  a 
little  ivory  black ; another,  Naples  yellow,  permanent 
blue,  and  a little  vermilion.  Pink , rose  madder,  and 

white ; for  crimson,  vermilion ; for  deep  maroon,  use 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


91 


Indian  red.  Buff, ’ Naples  yellow  ; warmer  buff, \ white 
and  a little  deep  chrome.  Orange , chrome  yellow  and 
vermilion.  Blue  eyes , permanent  blue  and  white. 
Hazel , Naples  yellow  and  a little  raw  umber ; these 
tints  are  all  for  the  back  of  the  'picture ; the  front  is 
treated  differently.  Any  part  that  is  required  to  be 
brighter  must  be  glazed  over  with  transparent  color ; 
for  instance,  a bright  red  garment  or  flower  is  coated 
with  vermilion  on  the  back  side,  and  crimson  lake, 
diluted  a little  with  megilp,  on  the  right  side.  Pink , 
dress  or  flower , paint  with  rose  madder  and  white, 
on  the  wrong  side,  and  glazed  over  on  the  front  with 
rose  madder.  Blue  dresses  or  flowers , paint  on  the 
back  with  Antwerp  blue  and  white,  and  finish  on  the 
front  with  blue  and  megilp.  All  dresses  or  flowers , of 
the  yellow  class,  are  finished  on  the  front  with  burnt 
sienna,  weakened  with  megilp.  Brown  hair , with  van- 
dyke  brown.  Lips,  with  vermilion  and  white  on  the 
wrong  side,  and  vermilion  and  megilp  on  the  right. 
For  purple,  mix  vermilion,  Antwerp  blue,  and  white, 
for  the  back  color,  and  finish  on  the  front  with  crim- 
son lake  and  blue. 

Observations.  — • 1st.  All  colors  used  for  the  back  Gf 


92 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


the  picture  must  be  opaque ; the  opaque  colors  used  are, 
white,  black,  raw  and  burnt  umber,  chromes,  Naples  yellow, 
Indian  red,  vermilion.  The  transparent  colors  are,  both 
siennas,  crimson  lake,  rose  madder,  Italian  pink,  Prussian  or 
Antwerp  blue,  Vandyke  brown  and  verdigris.  As  a gen- 
eral rule,  the  transparent  color  that  is  mixed  with  white 
for  the  back  color,  is  the  transparent  color  that  must  be 
used  for  the  front,  diluted  with  megilp,  to  suit  the  re- 
quired strength  of  tint ; this  stands  good  in  all  cases, 
except  yellows  ; these  various  shades  of  yellow  we  inva- 
riably tint  on  the  front  with  burnt  sienna  and  megilp. 
The  transparent  color  for  foliage  is  Italian  pink,  and  a 
little  Antwerp  blue. 

2d.  In  tinting  on  the  front  side,  we  invariably  use 
megilp  with  the  color,  in  preference  to  oil.  If  we  wish 
to  high  ten  any  part  still  more,  we  use  a touch  of 
opaque  very  sparingly ; for  instance,  if  we  want  a 
reddish  brown  dress,  inclining  to  a deep  crimson,  we 
coat  the  back  with  fine  Indian  red,  and  the  front  with 
crimson  lake  ; and  if  we  wish  to  bring  out  a few  high 
lights,  w'e  add  a little  of  the  Indian  red  ; if  too  strong, 
subdue  it  with  some  megilp. 

od.  In  painting  faces,  paint  a spot  of  pure  vermilion 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


98 


on  the  cheeks,  and  the  rest  of  the  face  (omitting  the 
eyes  and  lips)  with  flesh  tint ; then,  with  the  end  of 
your  finger,  blend  in  the  vermilion  (working  your  finger 
round)  with  the  flesh  tint ; this  must  be  done  carefully. 
Look  occasionally  on  the  front  side,  to  see  if  the  tints 
are  blending  evenly,  and  in  the  right  place  of  the 
cheek  ; if  this  part  is  done  satisfactorily,  the  beautiful 
roseate  tinge  on  the  cheek  is  made  much  softer  than 
in  any  other  way.  Foliage  tints,  mountains,  and  clouds 
can  be  manipulated  in  the  same  wray. 

4th.  Water  is  generally  the  reflected  color  of  the 
sky,  unless  something  intervenes  to  overshadow  it;  in 
that  case,  make  the  back  tint  with  verdigris,  Vandyke 
brown,  and  a little  yellow  ocher ; glaze  with  verdigris 
and  Vandyke  brown  on  the  front.  If  any  light  ripples 
are  introduced,  use  Naples  yellow  very  sparingly  with 
the  same. 

5th.  Sometimes,  when  painting  on  the  back,  the  color, 
after  standing  a day  or  so,  separates  into  small  fissures 
or  cracks.  This  is  caused  by  the  varnish  not  being 
thoroughly  dry  ; it  is  of  no  consequence,  and  is  only 
mentioned  here  to  satisfy  the  fears  of  some.  To  rem- 
edy it,  coat  it  over  again  at  a later  stage  of  the  paint- 
ing, when  it  is  drier. 


94 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


When  the  painting  is  entirely  finished,  let  it  remain 
a week  or  so,  till  thoroughly  dry ; then  give  it  an  even 
coat  of  mastic  or  outside  varnish  ; let  the  painting  lie 
flat  down  until  the  varnish  is  quite  dry,  or  it  is  liable 
to  run  in  streaks.  The  picture  is  then  ready  for  framing, 
and  should  be  allowed  to  remain  on  the 
stretching  frame,  as  it  keeps  smooth  and 
firm.  The  rabbet  of  the  frame  should  be 
made  wide  enough  to  admit  the  full  size 
of  your  picture,  stretching  frame  included. 


JCTURES  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 
— Two  difficulties  have  been  met  with 
by  nearly  all  artists  in  Grecian  painting, 
one  in  finding  pictures  suitable  or  well 
adapted  for  this  style,  and  the  other,  in 
“ clearing  ” the  paper  on  which  engravings 
are  sometimes  printed.  The  publishers  of  this  book  have 
endeavored  to  obviate  these  difficulties,  and  will  send  to 
any  address  a list  of  pictures  executed  in  the  highest 
style  of  the  lithographic  art,  and  printed  upon  paper 
suitable  for  Grecian  painting.  Accompanying  each  pic- 
ture are  full  directions  for  painting  every  part,  so 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  GRECIAN  PAINTING. 


95 


that  the  beginner,  or  the  artist  who  may  distrust  his  own 
taste,  will  meet  with  no  trouble  in  securing  a pleasing 
picture.  We  would  not  have  it  understood  that  other 
pictures  cannot  be  cleared ; they  can ; but  while  they  will 
have  the  appearance  of  painted  engravings , the  pictures 
here  noticed  will,  when  painted,  closely  resemble  oil 
paintings.  Of  course  the  independent  painter  will  use 
his  or  her  own  discretion  and  taste  in  coloring,  and 
may,  or  may  not,  follow  the  printed  rules  ; still,  they 
serve  as  a great  assistance  to  young  artists. 


IP  minting 


(97) 


Painting  are  many  suggestions  equally  valuable  in 
this.)  To  succeed  well  in  this,  one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful as  well  as  one  of  the  most  difficult  of  the  fine 
arts,  will  require,  in  addition  to  a natural  taste,  a cer- 
tain degree  of  industry  that  will  be  indispensable  to 
success.  There  are  two  kinds  of  water  color  painting  in 


(99) 


100 


PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


general  use.  We  prefer  using  the  moist  colors  for  land- 
scape painting,  and  the  dry  cake  colors  for  flowers.  The 
moist  colors  are  put  in  little  earthen  pans,  and  fitted  into 
a tin  box,  with  a palette,  all  complete  for  painting  out  of 
doors  or  on  the  table.  The  materials  to  be  procured  for 
water  color  painting  are,  colors,  sable  brushes,  paper,  a 
drawing  board,  an  eraser,  an  old  silk  handkerchief  for 
wiping  out  lights,  a small  bottle  of  gum  water,  a soft 
sponge,  a one  and  a half  inch  flat  camel’s  hair  brush,  a 
china  palette,  or  a set  of  saucers. 

The  paper  most  desirable  for  landscapes  in  water  color 
should  be  rather  rough  on  the  surface,  as,  if  it  is  too 
smooth,  the  painting  loses  much  of  that  boldness  which 
characterizes  the  English  school.  Whatman’s  paper  is 
considered  the  best. 

Brushes.  — A complete  set  of  brushes  comprises  a one 
and  a half  inch  flat  camel’s  hair,  one  each  of  swan, 
goose,  duck,  and  crow ; best  sable  brushes ; select  those 
that  come  to  a point  when  charged  with  water,  and 
when  bent  a little  on  one  side,  will  spring  back  to  the 
proper  position  without  splitting. 

Colors.  — For  landscapes,  a tin  sketching  box,  contain- 
ing gamboge,  French  blue,  raw  and  burnt  sienna,  yel- 


PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


101 


low  ocher,  Venetian  red,  Vandyke  brown,  Prussian  blue, 
olive  green,  brown  madder,  crimson  lake,  Indian  yellow, 
and  a bottle  of  Chinese  white. 

Stretching  and  Preparing  the  Paper . — The  painting 
side  of  Whatman’s  paper  is  known  by  holding  up  the 
paper  between  your  eye  and  the  light,  and  reading  the 
name  in  proper  position  from  left  to  right.  This  must 
be  the  outside.  Place  the  paper  on  a table,  and  moisten 
the  back  well  with  a soft  sponge  and  clean  water  ; let  it 
remain  a short  time,  if  the  paper  is  thick,  so  that  it  may 
become  saturated  ; then  place  it  in  the  frame  of  your 
drawing  board,  confining  it  with  the  cross-bars.  Some- 
times the  paper,  after  being  damped,  is  put  upon  a plain 
clamped  drawing  board,  fastened  down  with  glue  round 
the  edges  ; this  mode  of  straining  causes  a little  more 
care,  and  is  not  so  expeditious. 

Wiping  out  Lights.  — - The  parts  of  a picture  (after  the 
color  is  on)  that  require  half  lights,  should  be  treated  as 
follows  : Mark  out  with  your  brush,  and  clean  water,  the 
parts  you  wish  lighter,  and  then  apply  a little  blotting 
paper  to  absorb  the  moisture  ; next  wipe  it  hard  with  a 
silk  handkerchief,  and  if  not  sufficient,  repeat  it ; if  you 
desire  it  still  lighter,  use  the  rubber. 


9* 


102 


PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


Scraping.  — Before  using  the  eraser  for  any  extra  high 
lights,  the  painting  must  be  perfectly  dry. 

Rays  of  Light.  — Such  as  occur  from  an  opening  in 
the  cloud,  through  windows,  etc.,  can  he  successfully  pro- 
duced by  placing  a straight- edged  piece  of  paper  in  the 
direction  of  the  rays,  and  gently  washing  the  exposed 
part  with  the  damp  sponge. 

Using  the  Brush.  — The  effective  handling  of  the  brush 
requires  rapidity  and  experience  in  covering  large  spaces 
with  flat  washes  of  color.  It  is  well  to  commence  brush- 
work,  after  making  suitable  proficiency  in  outline,  with 
India  ink  or  sepia ; you  then  have  but  one  color  to 
deal  with,  and,  with  a little  practice,  all  the  mechanical 
difficulties  of  floating  the  color  evenly  will  soon  disap- 
pear. As  a general  rule,  the  brush  for  broad  shades 
should  be  pretty  full  of  color  ; but  for  finishing,  all  the 
colors  are  worked  much  drier,  and  the  brush  worked 
chiefly  on  the  point. 

Outline.  — We  will  suppose  that  the  paper  has  been 
properly  strained  on  the  drawing  board,  and  allowed  suf- 
ficient time  to  dry  ; the  outline  is  then  commenced.  In 
making  a sketch  for  water-color  landscape,  it  is  best  to 
sketch  very  lightly  at  first,  so  that  the  marks  can  read- 


PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


108 


ily  be  removed  if  required  ; as  by  hard  rubbing  the  sur- 
face of  the  paper  is  liable  to  be  disturbed.  Proceed  with 
all  the  minute  details,  sparing  no  pains  in  the  sketching ; 
the  time  is  by  no  means  thrown  away,  for  you  are  remu- 
nerated for  it  when  painting,  as  you  can  work  with  per- 
fect confidence  up  to  your  sketch-marks.  The  appear- 
ance of  a good  sketch  should  be  lightness  in  the  extreme 
distance,  working  a little  stronger  as  the  foreground  is 
approached.  In  the  foreground,  boldness,  observing  a 
fineness  of  line  on  the  light  side,  and  breadth  and  depth 
on  the  shade  side,  so  that  even  the  pencil  sketch  may  be 
suggestive  of  what  the  picture  will  be. 

In  commencing  to  color,  the  drawing  should  be  ele- 
vated a little  at  the  back,  to  allow  the  color  to  flow 
downward.  Moisten  all  your  drawing  with  the  flat 
brush  ; press  your  blotting  paper  upon  it  to  absorb  the 
superfluous  moisture.  As  an  example  of  a method,  we 
will  suppose  that  the  artist  has  a tin  sketching  box,  with 
divisions  in  it.  In  one  of  these,  make  a pale  tint  of 
Indian  yellow  and  crimson  lake  ; in  another,  a tint  of 
French  blue,  with  a little  of  the  other  with  it,  so  as  to 
make  it  pearly ; charge  your  swan  quill  brush  pretty  full 
with  this  pearly  tint,  and  then  work  in  the  crimson  tint. 


104 


PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


gradually  adding  a little  more  Indian  yellow  as  you  ap- 
proach the  horizon ; carry  the  tints  down  to  the  edge, 
varying  with  burnt  sienna,  or  more  yellow,  or  the  pearly 
tint,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  subject.  When  dry, 
if  the  colors  are  not  blended  sufficiently  together,  or  too 
dark,  pass  the  flat  brush,  with  clean  water,  backward 
and  forward,  to  subdue  and  soften  them.  The  white- 
ness of  the  paper  will  thus  he  removed  by  a graduated 
tint,  which  may  be  made  available  as  an  undertone  for  the 
colors  that  come  over  them.  The  sky  may  now  he  deli- 
cately tinted  with  pure  French  blue,  and  clouds  formed. 
The  distant  hills  can  he  carefully  painted  in  with  pearly 
gray,  and  increased  with  more  color  as  you  proceed  to- 
ward the  middle  distance,  adding  more  or  less  madder 
brown  and  yellow  ocher,  as  the  subject  may  require 
The  distant  hills  may  be  strengthened,  if  required,  with 
a little  French  blue,  and  perhaps  warmed  with  a little 
crimson  lake.  Let  the  foreground  he  paler  than  the 
general  tone  ; the  sky  and  hills  should  he  finished  be- 
fore the  trees  are  commenced.  Have  a free  touch,  leav- 
ing little  openings  now  and  then  for  the  light  to  strike 
through  ; beginning  at  the  top  and  working  downward, 
with  your  brush  pretty  well  charged,  varying  the  greens 


PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


105 


as  you  wish,  them,  making  them  with  gamboge,  raw  and 
burnt  sienna,  and  Prussian  blue.  Increase  the  tone  of 
the  shadows  with  another  brush,  hut  with  the  same 
color,  only  adding  a trifle  more  blue,  and  some  crimson 
lake,  to  make  a neutral  tint.  The  foliage  that  catches 
the  sunlight  should  incline  to  a yellow  tint.  Paint  the 
trunks  and  stems  with  Vandyke  brown.  Repeat  the 
tints  on  the  foliage  when  dry,  until  the  required  form 
and  depth  are  obtained.  For  winter  trees,  cobalt  blue 
and  Vandyke  brown,  mixed,  make  a good  color  to 
paint  in  the  network  and  branches  of  fine  trees.  Some 
artists,  in  finishing  their  paintings,  use  gum  to  bring 
out  and  enrich  colors.  Never  use  gum  water  in  the 
sky  or  distance,  as  it  washes  off  so  readily,  and  disturbs 
every  color  near  it.  In  finishing  up  the  picture,  you 
are  referred  to  the  different  methods  of  producing  effects 
by  wiping  out  and  scraping.  The  opaque  white  is  very 
serviceable  in  finishing,  or  for  assisting  in  the  introduc- 
tion of  figures  in  the  foreground.  Parts  can  be  pen- 
ciled in  with  white,  and  stained  over  with  the  requi- 
site color. 

Flower  Painting  in  Water  Colors.—-  Henry  Ward 
Beecher,  in  one  of  his  lectures,  asserts  that  “ if  a man 


106 


PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


does  not  love  flowers,  he  is  not  born  perfect.”  This 
remark  we  cheerfully  indorse,  as  it  sponges  out  the  pre- 
tended superiority  of  a class  of  artists  who  look  down 
from  their  high  pinnacle  of  fame,  and  ignore  flower  paint- 
ing, considering  it  merely  a genteel  trifle.  This  opinion, 
we  are  sorry  to  say,  is  prevalent  among  some  artists  who 
ought  to  know  better;  for  flowers  and  their  associations 
are  ever  attended  with  pleasing  reminiscences,  and  he 
who  can  best  transfer  their  appearance  to  paper  should 
be  classed  among  the  valuable  artists. 

The  artist’s  palette  is  greatly  enriched  by  the  color 
maker  who  obtains  his  brightest  suggestions  from  flower 
tints,  and  is  consequently  enabled  to  imitate  more  close- 
ly those  brilliant  colors  Nature  has  so  bountifully  scat- 
tered among  her  choice  flowers. 

The  colors  and  materials  requisite  for  flower  painting 
are,  carmine,  crimson  lake,  cobalt  blue,  Prussian  blue, 
vermilion,  gamboge,  raw  sienna,  burnt  sienna,  burnt 
umber,  Chinese  white,  yellow  ocher,  and  Indian  ink  ; in 
addition  to  these,  a set  of  saucers,  a little  dissolved  gum 
arabic,  and  a few  sable  brushes.  These  colors  are  suf- 
ficient for  ordinary  purposes  ; but  if  flowers  of  superior 
finish  are  required,  it  will  be  necessary  to  add  the  fol- 


PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


10T 


lowing  : Rose  pink,  or  rose  madder,  royal  scarlet,  Indian 
yellow,  Indian  red,  indigo,  smalts  blue,  sepia,  Vandyke 
brown,  sapphire  green,  and  emerald  green. 

Flower  painting  can  be  done  to  good  advantage  on 
Whatman's  hot  pressed  paper,  stretched  on  a board,  in 
the  same  manner  as  directed  for  water-color  landscape 
painting.  Bush  flowers  are  more  generally  painted  on 
London  board  ; the  ivory  surface  is  sometimes  preferred. 
In  sketching  flowers  from  nature,  or  from  copies,  it 
is  essentially  requisite  to  make  an  accurate  and  clean 
sketch  ; for  this  purpose  make  a fine  point  to  your  pen- 
cil, and  draw  the  marks  faint,  so  as  not  to  require  too 
frequent  use  of  the  rubber,  as  by  rubbing  (unless  very 
carefully  done)  the  smooth  surface  of  the  paper  is  liable 
to  be  disturbed.  When  the  sketch  is  finished,  moisten 
all  the  parts  intended  to  be  painted  with  a brush  mod- 
erately full  of  water.  (Distilled  water,  or,  if  this  can  not 
be  readily  obtained,  soft  or  rain  water  will  answer ; never 
use  hard  water,  unless  it  has  been  boiled.)  By  coating 
the  piece  over  with  water,  it  prepares  the  paper  better 
to  receive  the  colors.  Most  of  the  flowers  are  com- 
menced by  coating  over  the  shaded  parts  with  Indian 
ink,  or  neutral  tints  very  pale,  so  blending  the  shades 


108 


PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


that  they  will  be  imperceptibly  lost.  To  do  this,  two 
brushes  are  required,  one  charged  with  the  color,  the 
other  nearly  dry.  The  leaves  are  treated  in  the  same 
way  ; the  flowers,  after  being  carefully  shaded  with  neu- 
tral, are  coated  with  local  color,  or  as  near  their  respec- 
tive color  as  the  general  tint  can  be  obtained ; finish 
either  with  a number  of  soft  washes,  or  with  small 
touches.  This  latter  style  is  called  stippling , and  if 
done  with  skill,  is  very  beautiful ; but  as  it  takes  time, 
taxing  the  patience  of  the  most  patient,  it  is  not  so  gen- 
erally adopted  as  the  wash  and  softening  style.  By 
practice,  the  eye  will  become  accustomed  to  observe  a 
variety  of  shades,  where  before  they  could  barely  dis- 
criminate any. 

Green  leaves,  when  of  a yellowish  pale  green,  and 
bright,  are  painted  with  gamboge,  and  a very  little 
Prussian  blue,  and  penciled  over  until  the  desired  effect 
is  obtained  ; for  darker  green  leaves,  use  more  Prussian 
blue,  finishing  with  stronger  color ; for  the  deepest 
shades,  add  a little  crimson  lake,  or  Vandyke  brown,  or 
burnt  sienna,  as  the  shades  may  require  ; for  decayed 
leaves,  use  burnt  sienna,  Indian  yellow,  and  crimson 
lake. 


PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


109 


Yellow  Flowers.  — In  painting  yellow  flowers,  examine  whether 
the  shades  are  warm  or  cool ; and  if  the  latter,  paint  them  with 
Indian  ink  ; if  the  former,  paint  them  in  with  a little  burnt  umber. 
When  dry,  coat  evenly  over  with  gamboge  — the  general  tint  of  the 
flower.  Where  the  high  light  strikes,  it  can  be  washed  out  a little 
with  the  second  brush,  slightly  moist.  Repeat  the  color  in  the 
stronger  parts,  finishing,  if  requisite,  with  a little  carmine,  or  burnt 
sienna,  added  to  the  gamboge. 

Blue  Flowers.  — Coat  them  evenly  with  cobalt  or  smalts,  accord- 
ing to  the  tint.  Smalts  blue  is  rather  difficult  to  coat  on  evenly, 
and  should  not  be  used  until  some  skill  and  experience  are  obtained. 
Cobalt,  with  a little  rose  madder  added,  may  be  used  as  a substi- 
tute. Shade  the  deeper  parts  of  the  flower  with  a little  Prussian 
blue  added  to  it ; and  if  a very  deep  shade  is  required,  add  indigo. 

Purple  Flowers.  — Make  the  desired  tint  with  carmine  and  Prus- 
sian blue,  increasing  the  shade  to  the  depth  required,  using  more 
color  and  less  water. 

Scarlet  Flowers.  — Paint  the  shades  in  with  cobalt  blue  and  a lit- 
tle Indian  red  ; then  coat  it  smoothly  with  royal  scarlet,  or,  in  lack 
of  this  color,  use  carmine  and  gamboge  mixed,  the  proper  tint, 
finishing  up  with  carmine  on  the  shades.  If  the  flower  is  coated 
with  royal  scarlet,  add  carmine  to  it  in  the  finishing. 

White  Flowers.  — Some  are  first  shaded  with  Indian  ink,  while 
others  are  shaded  with  a neutral  composed  of  cobalt  blue,  rose 
madder,  and  a little  Indian  yellow.  When  dry,  some  of  the  petals 
are  slightly  tinted  with  a weak  shade  of  yellow  ocher,  some  por- 
tions with  cobalt  blue,  others  with  a greenish  neutral : the  anthers, 
if  not  left  white,  should  be  done  with  permanent  white,  added  to 
Indian  yellow,  and  carefully  dotted  with  weak  burnt  sienna. 

The  Deep  Crimson , Tuscan  Rose.  — Shade  all  the  petals  more  or 
10 


110 


PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


less  with  Indian  ink,  until  it  would  pass  for  a finished  drawing  in 
Indian  ink ; then  coat  it  twice  with  strong  carmine,  and  finish  the 
deep  shades  by  adding  a little  Prussian  blue  to  the  carmine. 

Pink  Rose . This  flower  is  the  most  difficult  of  any  to  paint,  as 
it  requires  so  much  delicacy  of  manipulation  to  give  it  its  true 
representation.  The  most  successful  method  is  to  paint  in  the 
shades  with  pure  cobalt  blue,  and  then  coat  all  over  with  a pale 
shade  of  carmine,  with  a little  vermilion  added.  This  is  repeated 
on  some  of  the  petals  until  the  requisite  depth  is  obtained  : some 
of  the  outside  petals  may  require  a second  working  over  with  the 
cobalt,  to  give  them  a thin,  transparent,  neutral  appearance. 

Arranging  and  Grouping.  — With  those  who  possess 
naturally  a good  eye  for  color,  the  most  pleasing  arrange- 
ments of  form  and  color  will  naturally  suggest  them- 
selves without  the  least  effort  on  the  part  of  the  designer. 
For  those  who  are  deficient  in  innate  taste,  it  would  be 
well  to  study  a few  groupings  and  colorings  of  the  best 
flower  painters.  Sometimes  a very  pleasing  effect  is  ob- 
tained by  placing  the  light  flowers  in  the  center,  such  as 
white,  light  pink,  pale  yellows,  and  have  the  rich,  dark- 
colored  flowers  outside  — such  as  dark  roses,  hollyhocks, 
fleurs  de  lis,  etc.,  thereby  making  color  a substitute  for 
light  and  shade.  The  most  pleasing  groups  are  painted 
with  a slight  predominance  of  warm  coloring.  Some 
artists  paint  nearly  two  thirds  of  the  flower  grouping  with 
warm  colors. 


/ 


Cjrtflrtm  laintinj. 


(in) 


Poonah  Painting,  Theorem  Painting,  and 
Oriental  Painting.  It  is  better  adapted  to  fruits,  birds, 
and  butterflies,  than  to  landscapes  and  heads.  It  will 
enable  you  to  paint  on  paper,  silk,  velvet,  crape,  and 
light-colored  wood. 

To  fnake  Horn  Paper. — -Take  equal  parts  of  copal, 

(113) 


10* 


114 


THEOREM  PAINTING. 


mastic,  and  Japan  varnish ; add  to  the  mixture  half  as 
much  balsam  of  fir  as  there  is  of  either  of  the  var- 
nishes, and  a piece  of  white  wax  the  size  of  a thim- 
ble ; simmer  these  together  till  the  wax  is  melted.  If 
the  composition  is  too  thick,  add  a little  spirits  of  tur- 
pentine. Put  it  upon  one  side  of  the  paper  while  it  is 
warm,  the  paper  having  been  previously  prepared  with 
painter’s  oil,  to  make  it  transparent ; the  oil  must  be 
put  upon  both  sides  of  the  paper,  rather  warm,  and  the 
whole  of  the  paper  lie  together  one  night ; then  wiped 
with  a cloth  to  absorb  the  oil  on  the  surface,  and  dried 
one  week  in  the  sun  before  varnishing.  Each  side  of 
the  paper  must  be  varnished  twice,  and  the  greatest  care 
taken  to  dry  it  well. 

Trace  the  picture  you  intend  to  copy  on  white  paper, 
with  a soft  lead  pencil,  then  mark  those  parts  which  do 
not  touch  each  other  with  a figure  1.  Lay  the  horn 
paper  over  the  sketch,  and  trace  with  a sharp-pointed 
penknife,  or  large  pin,  all  the  objects  marked  1.  Mark 
another  piece  of  horn  paper  for  theorem  2,  and  cut  again ; 
thus  continue  till  you  have  enough  theorems  cut  for  your 
whole  picture.  Of  course,  it  will  require  much  more  time 
to  cut  a set  of  theorems  nicely,  than  it  would  to  draw  one 


THEOREM  PAINTING. 


115 


picture  ; but  remember  that  a good  set  of  theorems  is 
equal  to  twenty-five  or  thirty  sketches.  The  durability 
of  your  theorems  will  depend  upon  the  care  with  which 
you  treat  them. 

Do  not  attempt  to  paint  with  less  than  a dozen  stiff 
brushes,  because  you  must  have  one  for  every  color  you 
need  to  use  ; and,  as  has  been  mentioned  elsewhere,  put 
a few  drops  of  water  on  your  palette  with  the  end  of 
the  brush,  to  avoid  dipping  the  bristles  in  water. 

Lay  the  theorem  on  the  paper  on  which  you  intend  to 
paint.  (Good  drawing  paper  is  best  for  the  first  at- 
tempt.) Press  the  theorem  firmly  down  with  weights 
at  each  corner,  and  proceed  to  paint. 

Commence  with  a leaf ; take  plenty  of  paint,  a very 
little  moist,  on  your  brush,  and  paint  in  the  cut  leaf  of 
the  theorem ; hold  the  brush  upright,  and  manipulate 
quickly  with  a circular  motion.  It  is  best  to  begin  at 
a little  distance  from,  and  work  toward,  the  edge ; if  you 
take  just  enough  paint,  it  goes  on  softly  and  smoothly  ; 
if  too  much,  it  looks  dauby  ; if  too  little,  spotted. 

To  shade  the  leaves,  cut  bits  of  horn  paper  on  the 
edge,  in  the  form  of  the  large  veins,  and  laying  on  the 
leaf  already  painted,  paint  from  this  edge  into  the  leaf; 


116 


THEOREM  PAINTING. 


slip  the  paper,  and  paint  other  veined  parts  in  the 
same  way. 

If  successful  with  a leaf,  try  a grape.  We  paint  first 
purple,  then  blue,  and  finish  off  with  carmine. 

On  removing  the  last  of  your  theorems,  if  you  see  any 
inequality  in  the  painted  parts,  lay  the  theorem  on  again 
and  correct ; if  any  spaces,  fill  up  by  dotting  in  with  a 
fine  brush.  All  stalks,  fibers,  dots,  etc.,  must  be  put  in 
with  camel’s  hair  pencils. 

In  many  parts  of  a painting,  the  effect  is  hightened 
by  striking  on  paint  here  and  there  with  the  stiff  brush, 
and  blending  the  edges  together  to  produce  softness. 

To  paint  on  Wood.  — Choose  hard  wood,  of  light 
color  ; paint  as  above,  and  varnish  when  done. 

To  paint  on  Velvet.  — Select  firm,  white  cotton 
velvet.  Use  the  paints  a little  more  moistened. 

To  paint  on  Silk , Satin , and  Crape.  — Size  the 
parts  to  be  painted  with  gum  arabic,  or  isinglass,  and 
proceed  as  with  drawing  paper.  We  have  seen  ball 
dresses  painted,  with  belts  and  neck  ribbon  to  match ; 
also  white  crape  dresses,  with  vines  of  gold  and  silver. 
See  article  upon  Gilding. 


fjjjfliflgriijilj  fainting 


nx 


m a t f r €alex rs. 


(117) 


Cjjoia  of  pjoiograpfjs, 

AND  OBSERVATIONS  UPON  THEM.* 

>SE  a light  photograph  for  coloring,  in 
preference  to  a very  dark  one,  and 
let  the  general  hue  be  gray,  inclin- 
ing to  black  in  the  shadows.  See 
that  it  he  well  defined,  that  the 
shadows  and  middle  tints  are  clear, 
and  that  the  background  be  free 
from  blemishes  and  black  and 
white  spots. 

The  heavy,  dark  tints  which  pre- 
vail in  some  photographs  are  badly  adapted  for  fair 
complexions,  as  considerable  difficulty  is  experienced  in 
working  the  gray  tints  over  them  ; indeed,  the  only 
way  left  for  the  artist  is  to  lighten  them  up  with 

* Many  of  the  principles  and  suggestions  in  this  section  are  equally  appli- 
cable to  painting  in  general. 


(119) 


120  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


a little  body  color,  than  which  nothing  can  be  more 
objectionable,  because  all  gray  and  pearly  tints  ought  to 
be  purely  transparent,  so  that  the  flesh  color  may  be 
seen  under  them.  When  the  complexion  is  dark,  the 
difficulty  is  considerably  lessened  ; for,  upon  the  applica- 
tion of  the  warm  colors,  these  heavy  photographic  tones 
decrease  in  depth,  and  assume  a color  which  is  not  badly 
adapted  for  finishing  the  pearly  tints  upon.  Ladies’  and 
children’s  portraits  should  always  be  lighter  in  the 
shadows  than  the  masculine  head,  for  the  purpose  of 
giving  that  softness  which  is  their  characteristic  ; painters 
usually  throw  more  light  upon  them  than  they  do  upon 
the  male  head,  which  is  better  suited  to  a depth  of  shadow. 
Heads  of  aged  persons,  of  both  sexes,  should  likewise  be 
placed  in  a full  light,  as  it  tends  to  soften  and  subdue  the 
prominent  markings  of  age. 

Always  have  a duplicate  copy  before  you  while  at 
work,  to  refer  to  and  assist  in  keeping  the  resemblance  ; 
but,  if  possible,  get;  the  original  of  the  photograph  to 
give  you  two  or  three  sittings,  so  that  you  may  copy  the 
colors  from  life,  for  it  must  be  evident  to  every  one  that 
a good  portrait  can  not  be  produced  unless  nature  be  taken 
for  the  model. 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  121 


It  is  evident  that  you  must  first  paint  the  flesh,  thereby 
partially  obscuring  the  photographic  tones  and  shadows, 
and  upon  it  lay  the  shadows,  gray  and  pearly  tints,  as 
they  really  do  occur  in  nature,  all,  in  point  of  color, 
being  widely  different  from  the  photographic  shades. 

If  you  have  never  attempted  any  thing  from  the  life,  it 
will  be  advisable  to  procure  a photograph  from  an  oil  or 
crayon  portrait,  and,  placing  it  before  you,  proceed  to  copy 
the  various  tints  as  they  appear  in  the  picture.  It  will 
perhaps  surprise  you  to  observe  how  much  of  a good 
painting  is  made  up  of  shadows,  gray  and  pearly  tints, 
which  you  will  easily,  detect  by  moving  a piece  of  white 
paper  about  to  various  parts  of  the  face  : you  will  then 
observe  how  much  these  tints  prevail,  and  how  far  they 
go  toward  forming  one  harmonious  whole. 

If  you  are  an  amateur  photographer,  place  your  sitter 
a little  higher  than  is  usually  done,  as  by  that  means  you 
will  give  the  neck  its  due  length,  and  consequently  add 
dignity  to  the  head ; for  it  looks  exceedingly  ungraceful 
to  see  the  shoulders  upon  a line  with  the  ears,  which  is 
always  the  case  when  the  sitter  is  upon  a low  chair,  and 
the  operator  is  looking  down  upon  him.  Portrait  and 
miniature  painters  invariably  place  their  sitters  higher  than 

themselves  — photographers  too  frequently  the  reverse. 

11 


122  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 

If  you  use  a screen  to  form  a background,  place  it 
some  distance  from  the  sitter  — say  three  feet,  or  even 
more  — to  gain  space  or  atmosphere  behind  the  head ; 
and  if  you  introduce  curtains,  take  care  to  keep  them 
away  from  the  portrait,  so  that  they  may  not  appear  to 
be  a part  of  it.  Do  not  be  over-anxious  to  crowd  your 
picture,  as  many  professed  photographers  do,  with  gaudy 
bed-furniture  curtains,  old-fashioned  chairs,  vases  of  arti- 
ficial flowers,  plaster  of  Paris  pillars,  etc.,  and  the  usual 
table  placed  so  conveniently  for  the  sitter  to  lean  upon, 
and  for  no  other  purpose  — making  the  head  a secondary 
object  entirely.  Such  “ professors  ” either  know  nothing 
of  the  rules  of  composition,  or  are  anxious  to  give  their 
customers  as  much  as  they  can  for  their  money. 

Preparation  for  Photographs . — There  being  some  dif- 
ficulty in  apportioning  the  ingredients  for  size  to  harden 
the  surface  of  photographs,  and  many  chemists  having 
urged  objections  against  its  use,  as  tending  to  injure  the 
photographic  tones,  we  have,  therefore,  given  the  matter 
a careful  consideration,  which  has  resulted  in  the  follow- 
ing receipt : — 

Take  a piece  of  white  glue,  (that  made  from  parchment  is 
the  best,)  about  as  large  as  a nut,  and  put  it  into  a cup  with 
three  table-spoonfuls  of  warm  water,  and  as  much  ground 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  123 


alum  as  will  cover  a quarter  of  a dollar  ; stir  them  well  till 
the  size  and  alum  are  dissolved,  and  apply  the  mixture. 

To  prepare  the  Photograph.  — Dip  a flat  camel-hair 
brush  into  the  preparation,  and  go  gently  over  the  whole 
surface  of  the  photograph,  taking  care  not  to  make  it  too 
wet.  It  should  be  merely  brushed  over  slightly ; but 
every  part  must  be  covered,  or  the  color  will  sink  into 
the  places  you  have  missed. 

When  it  is  dry,  wash  it  with  a sponge  and  cold  water, 
to  remove  any  extraneous  matter  which  may  have  lodged 
on  it.  Gum  or  paste  the  back,  and  lay  it  down  on  a good 
thick  piece  of  card-board,  and,  placing  a sheet  of  writing 
paper  on  the  face  of  the  photograph,  with  a silk  hand- 
kerchief rub  it  softly,  to  smooth  and  flatten  it  down ; 
when  dry,  it  is  ready  to  work  upon. 

Some  photographic  papers  are  more  porous  than  others, 
and  will  therefore  require  two  coats  of  the  preparation ; 
but  one  is  generally  enough.  Wet  a corner  of  the  pho- 
tograph with  color,  and  if  it  washes  off,  leaving  no  indi- 
cation of  a stain,  it  is  in  a condition  to  work  upon  ; but 
should  the  color  sink  into  the  paper,  it  will  be  necessary 
to  give  it  another  coat.  It  is  essential  that  the  paper  be 
well  hardened,  as  every  thing  depends  upon  it ; for,  if 


124  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


it  be  not  properly  prepared,  it  will  not  take  the  colors 
kindly  — you  will  be  unable  to  obtain  force  or  brilliancy, 
and,  in  fact,  all  the  labor  which  you  can  bestow  upon  it 
will  be  “ stale,  flat,  and  unprofitable.” 

Albumenized  paper  seldom  requires  any  preparation, 
but  need  only  be  carefully  washed  with  cold  water  and  a 
soft  sponge  ; you  may  then  hold  it  up  before  the  light, 
and  if  you  observe  any  transparent  spots  upon  it,  like 
grease,  there  the  water  has  gone  through,  and  you  will 
find  it  necessary  to  touch  them  with  the  preparation  al- 
ready referred  to. 

Colors.  — The  under-mentioned  colors,  in  cakes,  are 
necessary.  (We  affix  the  prices  of  Winsor  & Newton’s 
paints,  as  they  are  by  far  the  best.) 


Carmine 

. $1.50 

Emerald  Green 

$0.30 

Rose  Madder  . . . 

. . 1.00 

Indigo  . . . . 

Crimson  Lake  . . 

. . 45 

Prussian  Blue  . 

Venetian  Red  . . . 

Burnt  Sienna  . . 

Indian  Red  .... 

. . 30 

Burnt  Umber  . 

. 30 

Vermilion  .... 

. . 30 

Sepia 

Chrome,  1,  2,  3 . . 

. . 30 

Vandyke  BroAvn  . 

. 30 

Indian  Yellow  . . . 

. . 45 

Madder  Brown 

. 45 

Roman  Ocher  . . . 

. . 30 

Ivory  Black  . 

. 30 

Gamboge  .... 

. . 30 

Chinese  "White  . . 

Cobalt 

Constant  White 

. 45 

French  Blue  . . . 

Half  cakes  at  half 

price. 

PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  125 


Constant  White  is  nearly  out  of  use,  Chinese  or  zinc  white  hav- 
ing almost  superseded  it ; the  only  parts  it  is  adapted  for  being  the 
light  on  the  eye,  lace,  and  linen.  It  possesses  little  or  no  body, 
and  is  therefore  valueless  in  cloth  fabrics. 

Chinese , or  Zinc  White . — This  is  the  most  valuable  white  that  a 
photographic  colorist  can  use  : it  washes  freely,  either  by  itself  or 
in  combination  with  other  colors,  and  possesses  this  advantage 
over  other  whites,  that  it  does  not  change  color  in  drying.  Flake 
white,  which  was  so  much  used  by  miniature  painters,  invariably 
dried  several  shades  lighter  than  when  first  applied  to  the  paper 
or  ivory,  and  was  liable  to  change.  Chinese  vvhite  must  be  kept 
away  as  much  as  possible  from  any  color  which  has  iron  in  its 
composition,  as  it  has  been  found  to  be  affected  by  it.  It  is  used 
for  lights  upon  cloth,  metal,  etc.  In  its  pure  state  it  is  shadowed 
with  cold  gray,  deepening  into  a black  in  the  darkest  places. 

Indian  Yellow . — A most  powerful  color,  used  in  flesh  and  dra- 
peries ; is  permanent,  and  works  extremely  well;  forms,  with 
indigo  and  burnt  sienna,  several  beautiful  greens,  etc. ; shadowed 
with  sepia  and  purple  lake. 

Indian  Yellow,  Indigo , and  Burnt  Sienna  are  useful  for  green  dra- 
peries and  backgrounds. 

Gamboge , Indigo , and  Burnt  Sienna  form  a good  green  for  dra- 
peries and  backgrounds.  Green  is  not  a good  color  to  use  too 
freely  in  portraits,  for  unless  the  flesh  be  very  sallow,  it  spoils  it. 
Subdue  it  as  much  as  possible,  and  shadow/wuth  lake  and  sepia, 
glazing  with  Vandyke  brown. 

Cadmium  Yellow.  — A very  bright  color,  and  its  durability  may 
be  relied  upon  ; it  is  serviceable  in  draperies,  and  in  forming  orange 
tints,  but  is  too  powerful  for  flesh. 

Gamboge.  — Not  a good  color  for  flesh,  as  it  is  too  brassy  ; use- 

11* 


126  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


ful  in  its  combination  with  indigo  and  burnt  sienna,  in  forming  a 
multitude  of  greens  and  browns. 

Emerald  Green . — Very  useful  for  the  high  lights  of  some  bright 
greens  and  stones  in  jewelry ; when  mixed  with  gamboge  it  forms 
a delicate  pale  green  for  ladies’  dresses,  the  high  lights  for  which 
have  zinc  white  and  lemon  chrome  added  to  the  local  color. 

All  green  drapery  should  be  kept  away  from  the  flesh  as  much 
as  possible.  Shaded  as  other  greens. 

Chrome.  — There  are  five  different  shades  of  chrome,  commencing 
with  a pale  primrose,  and  deepening  into  a powerful  orange  ; they 
are  all  opaque,  are  good  working  colors,  and  are  sometimes  used 
in  dark  flesh  tints,  and  always  for  the  reflected  lights  under  the 
chin.  With  indigo  they  form  a number  of  different  shades  of 
green,  which  may  occasionally  be  used  for  background  draperies, 
when  the  photograph  is  heavy  and  dark  Chrome  is  likewise  used 
for  gold  ornaments,  although  Roman  ocher  is  to  be  preferred; 
when  used  in  its  pure  state,  it  is  shaded  with  burnt  umber,  and,  in 
the  darkest  parts,  burnt  umber  and  lake.  High  lights,  the  local 
color  and  Chinese  white. 

Roman  Ocher.  — Useful  in  draperies  and  for  strengthening  up  the 
yellows  in  very  dark  complexions,  and  is,  perhaps,  the  best  yellow 
for  gold  ornaments.  It  serves  likewise  for  all  kinds  of  flaxen  hair, 
either  by  itself,  or  when  combined  with  sepia,  but  is  not  often  used 
in  draperies. 

Burnt  Sienna  is  too  foxy  a color  for  flesh,  although  in  very  dark 
complexions  it  is  sometimes  admitted  ; but  generally  the  Indian  yel- 
low or  Roman  ocher  is  to  be  preferred.  If  there  be  an  out-door 
scene  for  the  background  of  the  portrait,  this  color,  when  combined 
with  indigo  and  gamboge,  will  be  found  very  useful  for  all  kinds  of 
foliage,  these  three  colors  forming  a number  of  green  tints.  High 
lights,  chrome  ; shadows,  umber  and  lake. 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  127 


Ultramarine . — For  durability  and  brilliancy,  there  is  no  other 
blue  at  all  to  be  compared  to  ultramarine,  and  although  many  sub- 
stitutes have  been  offered,  yet  none  have  approached  it  in  beauty. 
Cobalt,  which  is  very  generally  used  instead,  sinks  into  utter  insig- 
nificance when  placed  near  it.  Genuine,  it  is  a very  expensive 
color ; the  imitation  is  known  as  French  blue.  If  you  wish  to 
substitute  ultramarine  for  cobalt  in  the  grays,  you  must  be  very 
sparing  of  it,  because  it  is  a very  powerful  color  — sometimes  used 
for  ladies’  dresses  and  the  sky  in  backgrounds.  Cobalt  and  a little 
lake  make  a color  approximating  to  it,  shaded  as  cobalt.  High 
lights,  the  local  color  and  Chinese  white. 

French  Blue  is  w'ell  adapted  for  draperies,  and  occasionally  for 
the  sky  in  backgrounds,  but  for  the  latter  purpose  cobalt  is  prefer- 
able. It  is  a powerful  color,  possessing  great  body,  and,  like  all 
blues,  requires  subduing  with  warm  browns.  By  candle-light  it 
assumes  a dark,  heavy  appearance,  almost  approaching  to  black. 
Treated  in  the  lights,  and  shaded  as  cobalt ; when  the  color  is  used 
in  great  strength,  the  shadows  must  be  powerful. 

Cobalt.  — Permanent,  and  a good  working  color  ; used  freely  in 
grays,  pearly  tints,  and  shadows  — washed  or  stippled  over  indigo 
for  blue  skies  and  backgrounds.  Blue,  being  a cold  color,  is  apt 
to  destroy  the  effect  of  your  picture,  unless  you  subdue  or  kill  it ; 
negative  it,  therefore,  as  much  as  you  can,  by  toning  it  down  with 
warm  colors,  keeping  all  your  shadows  of  a brownish  tint,  and 
leaving  your  high  lights  only  positive  blue.  These  remarks  apply 
solely  to  blue  draperies. 

Prussian  Blue  is  not  admissible  in  flesh  tints  at  all,  being  liable 
to  turn  to  a greenish  hue.  It  is  very  useful  for  blue  draperies,  and 
when  mixed  with  gamboge,  bright  greens  are  produced.  Prussian 
blue,  and  lake  or  carmine,  make  a number  of  purples,  violets, 
lilacs,  &c. 


128  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


Indigo.  — A very  dark  blue,  and  a good  working  color  ; useful, 
with  gamboge  and  burnt  sienna,  in  forming  greens  and  browns  of 
almost  every  possible  shade  ; while  with  carmine  it  produces  pur- 
ples and  violets,  and  may  sometimes  be  taken,  instead  of  cobalt, 
for  the  dark  shadows  of  the  face.  Indigo  and  Prussian  blue  make 
an  excellent  color  for  blue  cloth  — add  a little  lake  if  you  desire 
to  produce  a coppery  blue,  which  so  frequently  occurs. 

If  you  would  have  a blue  background  of  considerable  depth,  but 
at  the  same  time  not  glaring,  wash  in  with  indigo,  or  indigo  and 
lake,  and  work  over  with  cobalt. 

Indigo  and  Carmine.  — An  excellent  purple,  and  better  adapted 
for  draperies  than  Prussian  blue  and  carmine,  being  less  gaudy  ; in 
both  instances  the  carmine  used  should  be  dissolved  in  ammonia, 
and  no  gum  added. 

Carmine  is  the  most  brilliant  crimson  we  possess,  and  when 
mixed  with  vermilion,  forms,  the  best  color  for  officers’  coats  and 
background  draperies,  but  for  the  latter  purpose  it  must  be  much 
subdued.  Spirit  carmine  and  the  blues  form  many  useful  purples, 
&c.  (See  Prussian  Blue.)  Spirit  carmine  is  made  in  the  follow- 
ing manner  : Obtain  some  color  in  powder,  wet  it  with  a few 

drops  of  liquid  ammonia,  and  let  it  stand  till  the  spirit  evaporates, 
and  it  is  then,  with  the  addition  of  a little  water,  fit  for  use.  It  is 
better  for  draperies  than  the  cake  color,  but  it  must  not  be  used 
in  flesh  tints.  Should  it  become  dry  and  unfit  for  use,  put  in  a 
little  water  to  moisten  it  ; there  is  no  necessity  for  a second 
application  of  ammonia,  unless  it  dries  upon  the  photograph  and 
comes  off. 

Indigo , Gamboge , and  Burnt  Sienna.  — A brown  made  up  of  the 
above  three  colors  is  useful  in  hair,  draperies,  etc. 

Carmine  and  Vermilion  makes,  perhaps,  the  very  best  color  for 
officers’  coats,  and  draperies  of  a like  description,  but  it  is  too 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  129 


bright  to  use  in  the  background,  unless  you  subdue  it,  which  may 
be  done  with  sepia  and  lake. 

Rose  Madder.  — A most  useful  color  in  flesh  and  carnations,  and 
when  necessary,  may  be  strengthened  with  lake  or  vermilion ; it 
works  well,  but  possesses  little  intensity.  Rose  madder  tints  are 
found  in  youth  ; but  as  your  sitter  approaches  middle  age,  a little 
lake  or  vermilion  is  added  to  heighten  them.  Portraits  of  aged 
persons  have  more  lake  than  madder ; while  in  the  complexions  of 
children  vermilion  predominates  over  the  latter  color.  Rose  mad- 
der is  a good  color  for  glazing  the  under  lip. 

Crimson  Lake.  - -Por  flesh  tints  and  draperies,  all  lakes  are  ex- 
ceedingly useful,  not  only  by  themselves,  but  in  their  combinations 
with  other  colors.  When  used  as  a shadow  color  with  sepia,  it 
is  better  to  have  purple  lake. 

Vermilion  is  frequently  used  in  flesh  washes  for  fair  people  and 
children  ; but  it  must  be  with  extreme  caution,  as  it  is  a very  heavy 
color.  In  its  pure  state  it  is  a good  color  for  the  lips.  Elemen- 
tary works  generally  give  three  different  vermilions,  viz.,  vermil- 
ion, scarlet  vermilion,  and  orange  vermilion ; but  you  can  make 
the  two  last  named,  by  adding  to  the  first,  carmine  for  the  scarlet, 
and  gamboge  for  the  orange,  which  will  answer  every  purpose. 
Combined  with  rose  madder  for  children’s  carnations. 

Light  Red.  — A durable  color,  and  of  great  use  in  flesh ; with 
carmine  or  vermilion,  and  a little  Indian  yellow,  it  forms  a wash 
which,  when  properly  modified,  will  do  for  almost  every  complex- 
ion. Miniature  painters,  with  this  color,  cobalt,  rose  madder,  and 
Indian  yellow,  make  their  gray  shadows  and  pearl  tints. 

Venetian  Red , differing  but'  slightly  from  light  red,  may  be  used 
for  precisely  the  same  purposes. 

Indian  Red.  — A good  color  for  strengthening  the  darkest  shad- 
ows on  the  face,  but  must  be  used  sparingly,  being  in  its  nature 


130  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


very  powerful ; has  great  body,  and  inclines  to  a purple  hue.  It  is 
durable  and  works  well,  and  when  used  with  lake,  is  a good  color 
for  putting  in  the  upper  lip  with. 

Burnt  Umber.  — A good  working  color,  but  seldom  used,  except 
for  hair  and  draperies. 

Vandyke  Brown.  — So  named,  after  the  prince  of  portrait  paint- 
ers, in  consequence  of  the  free  use  of  it  in  his  works.  It  is  a fine 
glazing  color,  and  is  well  adapted  for  strengthening  the  shadows 
under  the  nose,  glazing  the  darkest  shades  of  green  draperies  and 
the  hair.  This  is,  perhaps,  the  most  beautiful  brown  that  we  have. 

Madder  Brown A very  rich  brown,  and  of  great  use  in  dra- 

peries ; combined  with  cobalt,  it  forms  many  very  excellent  grays 
suitable  either  for  the  face  or  background. 

All  madders  are  said  to  be  permanent. 

Sepia  is  the  most  useful  brown,  no  other  entering  so  largely 
into  combination  with  other  colors  as  this  does  ; with  lake,  indigo, 
and  gamboge,  a pure  transparent  black  is  formed,  calculated  for 
silks,  satins,  and  black  cloth.  Sepia  and  lake,  again,  make  the 
best  color  for  giving  the  sharp  touches  about  the  eyes,  eyebrows, 
etc.  ; and  for  the  hair  it  stands  unrivaled  by  any  other  brown, 
being  useful  not  only  in  the  lightest,  but  also  in  the  very  darkest 
tints. 

Sepia  and  Indigo A gray  formed  of  the  above  colors  is  of  use 

for  backgrounds ; may  be  strengthened  in  the  darker  parts  with 
sepia  alone,  and  warmed  with  Vandyke  brown. 

Sepia , Indigo , and  Lake  form  an  excellent  black,  used  for 
silks,  satins,  and  as  a shadow  color  for  black  cloth.  With  these 
three  colors  you  may  make  a black  of  any  required  tint.  Keep 
the  darkest  shadows  rather  red.  Another  black  is  made  up  of 
indigo,  purple  lake,  and  gamboge,  and  is  equally  as  good  as  the 
former,  and  used  for  precisely  the  same  purposes. 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  131 


Lampblack . — A strong  body  color  ; is  chiefly  used  with  Chinese 
white  for  black  cloths  and  velvets. 

Ivory  Black.  — Much  the  same  as  lampblack,  and  is  occasionally 
used  in  lieu  of  it.  It  is,  however,  a little  browner  than  the  former ; 
both  work  freely. 

Choice  of  Pencils.  — Let  the  pencils  which  you  select 
he  sable,  and  of  a middling  size  ; it  is  very  injudicious 
to  use  small  ones,  as  they  impart  to  the  work  a harsh 
appearance,  which  is  by  all  means  to  be  avoided  ; there- 
fore work  with  a good-sized  pencil,  the  quill  being  some- 
what smaller  than  a goose  or  swan  pen,  and  capable  of 
holding  a reasonable  quantity  of  color  in  fluid.  With 
such  a one  you  will  be  able  to  give  those  firm  touches 
which  are  so  much  admired  by  judges.  You  will,  how- 
ever, sometimes  need  to  use  small  pencils,  in  marking  in 
the  eyes,  nostrils,  etc. ; hut  for  all  large  washes  they  are 
worthless.  When  purchasing  pencils,  dip  them  into 
water,  and  bring  them  to  a point  on  the  nail  of  your 
thumb.  The  hairs  must  be  all  of  a proportionate  length, 
having  a fine  flue  attached  to  the  points,  and,  when  mod- 
erately full  of  water,  should,  upon  being  bent,  spring 
hack  to  their  original  form.  See  that  there  he  no  strag- 
gling hairs  about  them,  and  that  they  do  not  split  or 
divide.  A few  French  camel-hair  pencils  must  also  be 


132  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 

obtained,  for  you  will  find  them  very  useful  in  laying 
large  washes  upon  the  background  where  you  require 
smoothness,  but  they  are  not  elastic  enough  for  general 
purposes.  A flat  camel-hair  tool,  with  which  to  size  the 
photograph,  is  also  necessary. 

Coloring  the  face,  etc.  — Commence  with  a large 
pencil  to  wash  in  the  flesh  tint ; go  over  the  whole  face, 
and  leave  it  to  dry.  Then  put  in  the  carnations,  but 
do  not  be  in  a hurry  to  do  too  much  at  once  ; keep  all 
the  colors  under,  for  it  is  easier  to  highten  up,  as  you 
go  on,  than  to  reduce  them,  if  they  are  made  too  pow- 
erful. Put  a little  color  now  on  each  lip ; the  upper 
one,  which  is  almost  always  in  shadow,  may  be  laid  in 
with  lake  and  vermilion,  and  the  under  one  with  car- 
mine and  vermilion,  the  latter  predominating,  if  the  sub- 
ject be  juvenile.  Give  the  background  a wash,  and  pro- 
ceed with  the  draperies.  Highten  the  carnations,  and 
lay  on  the  yellows,  which  are  perceptible  in  almost  all 
faces,  but  more  particularly  aged  ones,  about  the  tem- 
ples, eyes,  and  mouth.  Strengthen  up  the  eyes,  nostrils, 
and  mouth  with  lake,  and  do  the  like  to  the  hair  with 
the  proper  shadow  color,  working  in  the  direction  of  the 
curls,  or  in  a wavy  manner,  just  as  it  may  be  adjusted; 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  133 


and  glaze  over  the  under  lip  with  lake  or  rose  madder, 
in  accordance  with  the  natural  tint.  The  white  of  the 
eye,  as  it  is  commonly  called,  varies  in  color  as  age 
advances  — in  childhood  and  youth  it  is  nearly  a posi- 
tive blue  ; gradually  it  loses  that  tint,  and  merges  into 
a pearly  tone,  while  in  old  age  it  becomes  nearly  yel- 
low. For  the  pearly  tone,  you  will  use  a like  color  to 
the  pearly  tints  of  the  face,  increasing  the  blue  as  you 
approach  to  childhood,  while  for  aged  sitters  a pale  wash 
of  Indian  yellow  may  be  taken.  The  iris  must  be  laid 
in  with  transparent  color,  then  shaded,  and  afterward 
finished  with  Chinese  white.  The  pupil  is  always 
touched  in  with  a dark  color,  and  the  speck  of  white 
is  laid  on  at  the  last.  If  the  eye  be  black  or  brown, 
the  same  lights  are  used  as  for  black  or  brown  hair, 
namely,  light  red  and  Chinese  white  for  the  former,  and 
neutral  or  purple  tint  and  white  for  the  latter. 

It  is  a practice  with  several  miniature  painters,  in 
hightening  the  complexion,  to  lay  the  colors  in  little 
square  forms,  working  their  pencils  in  various  directions, 
and  leaving  the  interstices  to  be  filled  up  afterward  by 
stippling.  This  method  gives  what  is  called  a fatty  ap- 
pearance to  the  work,  and  renders  it  bold  and  masterly. 

12 


134  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 

Others,  again,  finish  off  with  hatches,  and  the  crossings 
of  the  pencil  somewhat  resemble  the  lines  in  a fine-line 
engraving  of  the  face,  being  worked  as  much  as  possible 
in  the  direction  of  the  muscles.  But  this  should  not  he 
resorted  to  till  near  the  end  of  the  work  ; for  if  you 
begin  too  early,  you  will  never  be  able  to  gain  depth, 
and  the  more  you  labor,  the  more  wiry,  harsh,  and  dry 
•will  the  character  of  your  performance  be.  When  the 
flesh  color  has  been  sufficiently  hightened,  and  is  as 
near  to  the  original  as  you  think  you  can  get  it,  then 
begin  with  the  pearly  gray  and  shadow  tints,  keeping 
them  as  pure  and  transparent  as  possible,  working  with 
a light  hand,  for  fear  of  disturbing  the  under  color, 
which  must  not  be  suffered  to  mix  with  them,  or  they 
will  become  muddy,  and  consequently  lose  all  their 
transparency.  Grays  are  not  intended  to  hide  the 
local  color,  but  only  to  be  passed  over  it  as  a glaze. 

In  coloring  photographs  of  ladies,  you  can  not  fail 
observing  that  their  necks  are  always  much  lighter  in 
color  than  their  faces,  and  that  the  pearly  tints  are  seen 
in  them  to  advantage ; use  the  flesh  wash  much  lighter 
for  the  former  than  the  latter. 

Note  that  the  delicate  blending  of  these  pearly  tints 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  135 


into  the  flesh  and  shadows,  gives  softness  and  rotundity 
to  the  work  ; for  if  the  shadows  be  left  hard  against  the 
lights,  not  being  duly  graduated  into  them,  with  the 
pearly  tint,  your  picture  will  appear  crude  and  harsh, 
wanting  that  connecting  link  which  they  form.  The 
palms  of  the  hands  and  tips  of  the  fingers  are  generally 
of  a pinky  hue,  and  the  backs  are  much  the  same  in  tone 
as  the  neck.  In  your  anxiety,  however,  to  make  them 
appear  delicate,  be  careful  not  to  keep  them  too  white, 
as  that  will  mar  your  picture.  But  in  many  instances 
this  caution  is  unnecessary ; for  unfortunately  photo- 
graphs generally  are  heavy  and  dark,  so  that  you  will 
be  necessitated  to  brighten  them  up  considerably. 

It  may  now  be  presumed  that  the  face  is  nearly  fin- 
ished ; all  remaining  to  be  done  being  to  give  the  sharp, 
spirited  touches  which  occur  abdut  the  eyes,  mouth,  and 
nostrils,  and  impart  life  and  intelligence  to  the  whole 
countenance.  If  the  original  of  the  photograph  be  dark, 
you  will  use  sepia  and  purple  lake  in  nearly  equal  pro- 
portions for  that  purpose ; but  if  the  sitter  be  fair,  you 
must  discard  the  greater  part  of  the  sepia. 

It  should  have  been  remarked  before,  that  the  shadow, 
which  almost  always  occurs  under  the  nose,  may  be 


136  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 

glazed  with  Vandyke  brown ; but  be  careful  not  to 
make  it  heavy. 

The  background,  hair,  and  draperies,  will  next  claim 
your  attention  ; but  ere  you  finish  the  hair,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  complete  the  background,  so  that  the  hair 
may  not  be  interfered  with  by  the  background  color  com- 
ing up  to  or  over  it ; but  let  the  hair  be  brought  over 
and  finished  upon  the  background  in  a light,  feathery 
manner.  When  the  background  is  complete,  give  the 
last  touches  to  the  shadowed  parts  of  the  hair,  and  lay 
on  the  high  lights. 

No  mention  has  yet  been  made  of  gum,  which  is  in 
request  with  some  photographic  colorists,  but  which  had 
better  not  be  resorted  to  at  all  if  you  can  possibly  do 
without  it.  However,  if  your  work  appears  dull  and 
spiritless  in  those  places  where  it  should  be  otherwise, 
a little  gum  may  be  used  for  the  eyes,  parting  of  the 
lips,  hair,  and  eyebrows.  You  may  either  mix  it  in  the 
color  for  the  last  touches,  or  use  it  by  itself,  as  a glaze ; 
but  do  not  use  much  on  the  picture,  for  it  gives  it  a dis- 
agreeable appearance. 

Flesh  Tints.  No.  1.  Fair  Complexion.  — Light  red,  a little 
carmine  or  vermilion,  and  Indian  yellow  ; be  very  careful  in  using 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  137 


the  latter,  for  the  reasons  before  specified ; and,  in  the  flesh  tints 
of  very  fair  children,  allow  the  vermilion  to  predominate.  Carna- 
tions, rose  madder,  and,  if  the  face  be  full  of  color,  add  a little  ver- 
milion to  it. 

No.  2.  Middling  Complexion.  — Much  the  same  as  No.  1,  saving 
that  the  light  red  must  be  in  excess  over  the  other  colors  — carna- 
tions, rose  madder,  and  lake. 

No.  3.  Dark  Complexion.  — Light  red  and  Indian  yellow,  or 
light  red  and  Roman  ocher,  and  if  the  complexion  be  generally 
ruddy,  you  may  add  a little  Indian  red ; but  it  must  be  sparingly 
used,  as  it  is  a powerful  color,  and  likely  to  impart  a purple  tone 
to  the  flesh.  Carnations  chiefly  lake  ; but  if  the  complexion  be 
warm,  lake  and  a little  yellow.  The  carnations  for  children’s  por- 
traits are  rose  madder  and  vermilion,  inclining  more  to  the  latter 
tint.  Aged  persons  have  rose  madder  and  a little  cobalt,  to  give  a 
cold  appearance  to  the  color  in  their  cheeks  and  lips. 

These  tints,  Nos.  1,  2,  and  3,  are  indispensable,  as  general  washes, 
for  the  purpose  of  receiving  the  other  colors,  which  are  to  be 
worked  over  them  to  bring  up  the  complexion  to  the  life. 

Uncolored  photographic  portraits  vary  so  much  in  tone,  that  the 
beginner  will,  perhaps,  find  some  difficulty  in  mixing  up  the  tints 
for  the  washes.  He  must  note  that  the  warm-toned  ones  do  not 
require  so  much  Indian  yellow  as  the  cold  ones  do. 

Shadow,  Gray,  and  Pearly  Tints.  No.  1.  Fair  Complexion. 
— Cobalt,  rose  madder,  Indian  yellow,  and  light  red,  will  produce 
every  variety  of  the  above,  from  the  most  delicate  pearl  up  to  the 
strongest  shadow  color,  and  are  suitable  for  every  complexion.  It 
must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  gray  should  be  kept  cool,  and  the 
shadows  warm,  and  that  in  laying  them  on,  particular  care  must  be 
taken  that  the  under  tints  are  not  disturbed,  otherwise  you  will 


12* 


138  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


muddle  the  grays,  eta.,  and  make  them  opaque,  which  is  always  to 
be  avoided,  as  it  is  intended  to  show  the  flesh  color  under  them. 

These  tints  appear  to  differ  in  different  complexions,  but  the  dif- 
ference is  caused  more  through  the  local  color  that  they  go  over, 
than  any  great  alteration  in  themselves ; when  the  flesh,  however, 
is  very  powerful  in  color,  the  grays,  etc.,  must  be  stronger  than 
when  it  is  delicate. 

No.  2.  Middling  Complexion  Shadow.  — Darker  than  No.  1,  and 
composed  of  cobalt,  Indian  yellow,  and  madder  brown.  These  three 
colors  produce  a great  number  of  very  useful  grays. 

No.  3.  Dark  Complexion  Shadow.  — Rather  warmer  than  No.  2, 
having  a little  more  of  the  Indian  yellow  added  to  the  cobalt  and 
madder  brown.  These  three  tints  will  answer  all  purposes  in  pho- 
tography. No.  1,  with,  or,  if  the  paper  be  of  a warm  hue,  without 
the  yellow,  forms  a good  serviceable  gray  or  pearly  tint,  useful  for 
all  complexions.  It  may  be  necessary  to  remark,  that  yellow  is  not 
so  much  in  request  for  coloring  photographs  as  for  painting  on 
ivory  or  Bristol-board ; the  photographic  paper,  in  itself  partaking 
so  much  of  a warm  color,  renders  it  less  necessary. 

Hair  Colors.  — In  coloring  hair,  never  shadow  it  with 
the  local  color  ; all  the  shadows  must  be  somewhat  dif- 
ferent ; and  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  high  lights. 
Upon  brown  hair  they  partake  of  a purple  tinge,  and 
the  shadows  are  in  general  formed  with  sepia,  or  sepia 
and  lake  ; and  upon  some  particular  kind  of  flaxen  they 
incline  to  a greenish  color,  which  is  produced  by  sepia. 
Burnt  umber  is  most  useful  in  brown  and  auburn  hair ; 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  139 

and  here,  again,  the  sepia  and  lake  form  the  best  shadow 
colors.  A good  mixture  for  black  hair  is  composed  of 
sepia,  indigo,  and  lake,  or  lake,  indigo,  and  gamboge  ; 
the  lights  slightly  inclining  to  a purple  tint,  the  blue 
predominating.  But  black  hair  is  of  so  many  different 
hues,  that  it  is  impossible  to  give  one  general  tint  which 
will  do  for  all  kinds  ; you  must  be  guided  by  nature, 
endeavoring  to  match  the  colors  to  the  best  of  your  abil- 
ity. Put  in  the  general  wash  broadly,  and  bring  it  into 
form  with  the  shadow  color ; then  lay  on  the  high  lights 
and  reflects  with  the  proper  tints,  mixed  with  Chinese 
white.  Upon  flaxen  hair,  you  will  sometimes  be  able  to 
preserve  them  ; but  in  consequence  of  the  photographs 
being  dark  and  heavy,  you  will  generally  have  to  put 
them  on.  Be  very  particular  in-  keeping  the  hair  in 
masses,  and  to  assist  in  doing  so,  use  a good-sized  pen- 
cil to  work  with,  and  never  fritter  it  away  into  little 
pieces,  as  if  you  had  determined  to  show  “ each  partic- 
ular hair.” 

Against  the  background,  let  it  be  a little  feathery, 
as  it  appears  in  nature,  and  do  not  permit  it  to  cut 
into  the  face,  as  if  it  were  glued  upon  it.  For  the 
purpose  of  assisting  the  beginner,  a few  local  washes 
are  given. 


140  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


Flaxen  Hair.  — The  best  wash  for  flaxen  hair  is  undoubtedly 
Roman  ocher,  which  may  be  modified  with  sepia  to  suit  the  various 
shades.  A warmer  flaxen  is  composed  of  Roman  ocher  alone,  both 
being  shaded  with  Roman  ocher  and  sepia.  The  high  lights  for  the 
former  are  made  of  Chinese  white,  mixed  with  a delicate  purple ; 
but  if  the  hair  be  of  a sunny  color,  „ then  use  Roman  ocher  and 
white  only.  Always  lay  in  the  shadows  first,  and  then  put  in 
the  high  lights,  taking  care  to  keep  them  thin,  working  with  a 
bare  pencil,  so  that  the  color  of  the  hair  may  appear  through 
them  ; and  in  shadowing,  also  use  the  tints  thin,  for  the  same 
reason.  Never  put  any  white  in  the  shadows ; they  must  always 
be  transparent.  Gum  is  occasionally  added  to  the  shadow  color,  to 
bring  it  out ; but  as  it  gives  a meretricious  effect  to  the  work,  it 
is  better  to  avoid  it. 

Auburn  Hair.  — Local  color,  burnt  umber,  and  sometimes  burnt 
umber  and  lake,  according  to  the  particular  shade.  When  the 
auburn  is  very  warm,  add  a little  burnt  sienna  to  the  umber  and 
lake,  shadow  with  burnt  umber  and  lake,  and  glaze  in  the  darkest 
parts  with  a cold  purple.  High  lights,  neutral  tint  and  Chinese 
white. 

Chestnut  Hair.  — The  lights  much  the  same  as  for  auburn  hair  ; 
local  tint,  burnt  umber,  sepia,  and  lake ; shadow  with  sepia,  lake, 
and  indigo  ; in  the  darkest  shadows  let  the  indigo  and  lake  pre- 
dominate. 

Red  Hair.  — Very  red  hair  is  a color  which  does  not  often  occur, 
and  when  met  with,  subdue  or  kill  it  as  much  as  possible,  for  few 
people  are  ambitious  of  possessing  it. 

Venetian  red  and  lake,  with  a little  sepia  to  cool  them,  form  a 
very  good  mixture  for  the  local  tint ; if  it  be  too  red,  add  a little 
gamboge  or  Roman  ocher. 

Should  a lady  rejoice  in  this  colored  hair,  keep  all  blues  as  far 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  141 


from  it  as  you  can,  because  their  presence  only  helps  to  exaggerate 
its  fiery  appearance.  Shadow  with  lake  and  burnt  umber ; very 
darkest  parts,  sepia  and  lake.  High  lights,  a delicate  purple  and 
Chinese  white. 

Bark  Brown  Hair.  — Sepia  alone,  or  sepia  and  lake,  or  sepia  and 
burnt  umber  ; lights  inclining  to  purple. 

Gray  Hair.  — Sepia  and  cobalt,  or  sepia  and  indigo,  made  into  a 
pale  wash  ; indeed,  any  of  the  grays  may  be  used,  provided  they 
are  in  accordance  with  the  color  intended  to  be  represented.  Gray 
hair  is  sometimes  of  a warm  hue,  and  sepia  is  a close  approximation 
to  it ; shadow  with  sepia. 

Black  Hair.  — The  best  color  for  black  hair  is  composed  of  sepia, 
indigo,  and  lake,  or  lake,  indigo,  and  gamboge,  making  the  red  or 
blue  predominate,  as  it  may  appear  in  nature.  Keep  the  shadows 
of  a warm  brown  tint,  and  the  lights  cold,  inclining  to  neutral  tint ; 
and  sometimes,  when  the  hair  is  exceedingly  black  and  heavy,  the 
lights  are  laid  in  with  light  red  and  Chinese  white,  being  exactly 
the  same  as  the  lights  for  black  cloth. 

Draperies,  and  other  Cloth  Fairies.  — In  painting 
cloth  fabrics,  it  will  be  advantageous  to  use  the  local 
color  at  first  much  lighter  than  you  desire  it  to  appear 
when  finished,  as  it  will  permit  the  folds  of  the  drapery 
to  he  discernible  under  it ; but  to  render  the  matter  as 
clear  as  possible,  proceed  as  follows  : Take,  for  example, 
a black  coat  to  paint  ; begin  by  laying  in  a weak  local 
wash  as  directed,  and  when  it  is  dry,  go  over  the  folds 
with  a thin  shadow  color,  which  will  prevent  them  being 


142  ‘ PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 

obscured  by  the  next  local  wash.  Having  repeated  this 
process  two  or  three  times,  you  will  most  likely  find  the 
coat  to  be  as  dark  as  necessary  , but  the  shadows  will 
be  too  poor  and  feeble.  You  will  then  strengthen  them 
with  sepia  and  lake  ; and  when  brought  to  the  required 
depth,  lay  on  the  high  lights  with  light  red  and  Chinese 
white,  remembering  to  use  a bare  pencil  and  a gentle 
hand  for  that  purpose,  for  if  you  work  your  pencil  about, 
and  press  heavily  upon  it,  you  will  inevitably  disturb  the 
local  color,  and  mix  it  with  the  lights.  These  repeated 
shadowings  after  each  wash  would  be  quite  unnecessary 
did  they  not  serve  to  retain  the  photographic  folds  in- 
tact, for  if  you  laid  on  the  local  color  at  once,  and  as 
powerful  as  you  desired,  you  would  be  almost  certain 
of  hiding  them,  and  having  them  to  draw  in  from  your 
duplicate  copy.  By  laying  in  the  washes  one  over  the 
other  as  directed,  you  gain  a texture  and  evenness  of 
tint  which  you  could  not  otherwise  obtain.  If  the  pho- 
tograph be  bold  in  the  shadows,  and  bright  in  the 
lights,  there  will  be  no  necessity  for  going  over  the 
former  after  each  wash.  All  cloth  fabrics  may  be 
handled  after  the  same  manner.  You  must  take  care 
that  these  under  shadowings  do  not  become  heavy ; they 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  143 


are  only  meant  to  save  you  the  trouble  of  copying,  should 
the  local  color  hide  them,  for,  as  a matter  of  course,  all 
shadows  must  be  painted  upon , and  not  under , the  color 
on  which  they  are  projected. 

A good  black  for  gentlemen’s  drapery  is  made  of  in- 
digo, lake,  and  gamboge,  or  indigo,  spirit  carmine,  and 
gamboge.  When  you  require  a blue  black,  first  make 
a blue  purple,  and  then  add  the  gamboge  till  the  tint 
is  changed  into  a black  A red  black  must  be  made  of 
a red  purple,  or  inclining  that  way.  Miniature  painters 
generally  use  lamp  or  ivory  black  for  cloth  drapery ; but 
as  both  of  these  are  body  colors,  they  will  hide  the 
shadows  of  the  photograph,  which  must  be  kept  per- 
fectly transparent,  and  finished  upon  with  sepia  and 
lake.  The  shadow  tint  must  in  all  cases  he  used  rather 

thin,  as  it  is  intended  only  partially  to  obscure  the  local 

#■ 

color,  not  to  hide  it,  which  it  would  do  if  it  were  made 
powerful,  besides  imparting  a hard,  patchy  appearance 
to  the  work. 

In  shadowing,  never  work  across  the  folds,  but  always 
carry  your  pencil  in  the  direction  that  they  run,  and 
from,  not  to,  the  outline.  Your  own  judgment  must 
guide  you  in  apportioning  the  sepia  and  lake  ‘ for  shad- 


144  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


ows  ; some  blacks  require  them  to  be  much  redder  than 
others.  A camel-hair  pencil  is  better  adapted  for  lay- 
ing in  the  draperies  than  a sable  one,  because  the  color 
flows  from  it  more  freely,  and  the  markings  of  the  tool 
are  not  perceptible. 

Silks , Satins , etc.  — The  tints  for  the  above  are  made  up  precisely 
the  same  way  as  for  cloth  fabrics,  and  must  be  painted  in  broadly, 
keeping  the  lights  bright,  and  the  shadows  transparent.  White  is 
admitted  sometimes  into  the  local  color  for  the  purpose  of  forming 
the  high  lights ; black  silk  and  satin  always  excepted,  which  re- 
ceive the  same  lights  as  black  cloth,  viz.,  light  red  and  Chinese 
white. 

Crimson.  — Crimson  is  made  of  pure  liquid  carmine,  modified 
with  lake  for  the  shadows,  and  sepia  and  lake,  without  the  carmine, 
are  used  in  the  deepest  shades.  The  high  lights  are  a little  Chinese 
white  mixed  with  the  local  color. 

Scarlet.  — Scarlet  vermilion  and  carmine  make  the  best  opaque 
scarlet  for  officers’  coats,  etc.,  shadowed  with  carmine  and  lake,  and, 
in  the  darkest  shades,  lake  and  a little  sepia,  without  the  carmine. 
A transparent  scarlet  for  silks  etc.,  is  made  of  carmine  and  gam- 
boge, or  carmine  and  Indian  yellow,  with  gamboge,  is  preferable, 
shadowed  as  the  opaque  scarlet. 

Pink.  — Pink  is  simply  carmine  or  lake  reduced  with  water,  or 
Chinese  white  delicately  shadowed  with  lake.  High  lights,  Chinese 
white  and  the  local  color.  Rose  and  pink  madder  frequently  rep- 
resent this  color,  shadowed  as  the  last. 

Yellows  are  shadowed  with  the  local  color,  modified  with  umber  ; 
but  some  pale  yellows  have  a cold  gray  tint  coming  against  the 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  145 


lights.  The  lights  upon  all  yellows  are  composed  of  the  local  color 
and  Chinese  white. 

Orange.  — Orange  is  made  of  Indian  yellow  and  carmine 
or  carmine  and  gamboge.  A very  good  orange  is  produced  by 
the  union  of  red  chrome  with  gamboge  ; but  it  is  too  heavy  for 
silks. 

Green.  — Indigo  and  gamboge  form  an  excellent  color  for  cloth 
draperies,  shadowed  with  the  same  and  a little  burnt  umber  ; the 
darkest  shades  have  lake  and  umber  or  lake  and  sepia.  High 
lights,  the  local  color  and  lemon  chrome,  or  the  latter  alone  on  the 
local  color  and  Chinese  white.  If  the  green  be  very  yellow,  the 
lemon  chrome  is  the  best  adapted  for  the  lights  ; but  if  it  be  a cold 
color,  then  use  Chinese  white. 

Purple.  — Purple  tints  are  formed  of  blues  and  lakes,  or  blues 
and  spirit  carmine,  and  lilacs  the  same.  The  purples  receive  a 
warm  shadow,  composed  of  the  local  color  and  brown  madder, 
and  if  they  are  very  heavy,  the  dark  shadows  are  brown  madder 
and  purple  lake.  Lilacs  have  similar  shadows,  but  much  lighter. 
High  lights,  the  local  color  and  Chinese  white. 

Blues.  — Blues  of  every  tint  are  shadowed  with  the  local  color 
and  a little  brown  madder,  and  in  the  darkest  places  brown  mad- 
der is  only  used.  High  lights,  the  local  color  and  Chinese  white. 

Backgrounds.  — The  best  colors  for  fair  people  and 
children  are  blues,  purples,  (not  bright,  but  negative,) 
and  grays.  Dark  complexions  may  have  dark  grounds, 
inclining  to  red  or  warm  brown  ; and  where  the  flesh 
tint  is  sallow,  use  warmer  colors,  — greens  approaching 

to  olive,  — to  throw  up  the  reds  in  the  face  to  advan- 
13 


146  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 

tage.  If  the  usual  curtain  be  allowed  to  creep  into  the 
picture,  make  it  a connecting  color  with  some  other 
analogous  to  it  in  the  figure  or  accessories. 

Never  paint  a bright  blue  ground  and  crimson  cur- 
tain, but  keep  every  thing  quiet  and  subdued,  so  that 
the  eye  may  take  all  in  at  one  glance,  having  no  light 
patches  of  color  spread  over  the  picture  to  dazzle  and 
distract  the  gaze  from  the  head,  but  let  every  color 
blend  and  harmonize. 

The  following  are  a few  background  colors  which  will 
assist  the  beginner  in  his  work  : — 

Stone  is  represented  by  a tint  formed  of  carmine,  in- 
digo, and  yellow  ocher ; and  the  more  distant  you  wish 
to  make  it  appear,  the  more  must  the  indigo  prevail. 
If  the  photograph  be  a very  white  one,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  lay  a foundation  of  neutral  tint,  to  support  the 
local  color. 

Grays  : cold  and  warm  grays  of  many  different  hues 
are  made  with  sepia  and  indigo.  The  grays  which 
are  used  in  the  flesh,  will  also  answer  the  same  pur- 
pose. A background  capable  of  many  modifications  is 
made  of  cobalt,  burnt  sienna,  and  a little  rose  madder 
worked  into  it. 


PHOTOGRAFH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  147 


Madder-brown  and  cobalt  are  well  adapted  for  the 
same  purpose,  and  form  good  grounds  for  fair  subjects, 
and  may  be  strengthened  in  the  darkest  places  with  the 
addition  of  a little  indigo. 

Indigo  and  madder-brown  produce  a duller  gray  than 
the  former,  and  of  more  depth. 

A purple,  cloudy  ground  is  made  of  indigo  and  liquid 
carmine  or  lake  ; be  very  careful  not  to  paint  it  too 
bright. 

An  opaque  ground,  of  a chocolate  color,  is  composed 
of  lampblack  and  Indian  red,  and  may  be  lightened  by 
the  use  of  Chinese  white. 

Burnt  umber,  chrome  yellow,  and  Chinese  white  pro- 
duce a lighter  ground  than  the  last  named. 

Opaque  backgrounds  are  far  from  being  artistic,  and 
are  but  seldom  used  ; if  very  dark,  they  give  the  head 
and  figure  the  appearance  of  having  been  cut  out  and 
pasted  down  upon  colored  paper.  If  you  resort  to  them, 
you  will  require  to  soften  around  the  outline  to  take  off 
that  effect,  and  that  can  only  be  done  by  adding  a little 
white  to  the  color.  If  the  background  of  the  photograph 
be  very  dark,  and  you  are  desirous  to  make  it  lighter, 
lay  on  the  transparent  color,  and  lighten  them  up  by 


148  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


stippling*4  some  white  mixed  with  the  local  tint  over 
them,  which  will  have  the  effect  of  relieving  the  head, 
and  whatever  parts  of  the  figure  you  want  to  bring  out. 
Very  dark  grounds  may  also  be  lightened  by  dusting 
some  photographic  powder  colors  over  them,  and  they 
may  sometimes  be  used  on  the  draperies  — but  it 
must  be  held  in  remembrance,  that  they  are  not  per- 
manent. 

Photographers  are,  however,  getting  into  the  way  of 
producing  pictures  with  the  backgrounds  entirely  white, 
and  consequently  they  are  ready  to  receive  whatever  shade 
of  color  may  be  desired,  and  are  infinitely  better  calcu- 
lated for  artistic  display  than  those  heavy  grounds,  which 
require  considerable  discernment  on  the  part  of  the  artist 
to  understand  where  the  outline  of  the  hair  terminates, 
and  the  background  commences. 

Paint  curtains,  etc.,  over  the  background,  and  put  on 
the  lights  with  body  colors. 


* Stippling.  — Toward  the  end  of  the  work  you  will  observe  a number  of 
inequalities  in  the  tints,  caused  by  the  square  patches  of  color  which  you  have 
laid  on  during  the  progress  of  lightening  the  carnations,  grays,  etc.  These 
require  to  be  filled  up  by  the  point  of  the  pencil,  with  an  assimilating  color  ; and 
that  filling  up  is  termed  “stippling.”  Be  careful  not  to  begin  doing  so  till  the 
work  is  nearly  finished  ; for  if  you  commence  too  early,  you  will  most  assuredly 
impart  a woolly  appearance  to  it,  which  is  by  all  means  to  be  avoided. 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  149 

When  white  spots  appear  on  the  background  of  the 
photograph,  stipple  them  in  with  a color  that  assimilate* 
to  it,  and  then  proceed  as  usual.  When  the  spots  are 
black,  you  may  take  them  out  with  a piece  of  glass 
paper,  and  finish  as  above. 

Tinting  Glass  Positives , Daguerreotype  Plates , etc. 

— Photographic  powder  colors  are  most  frequently  used 
for  the  above  purpose,  and  they  are  applied  to  the  pic- 
ture in  a dry  state  with  sable  pencils  ; camel-hair  pencils 
being  employed  for  softening,  and  bringing  the  work  into 
form  and  character. 

Begin  by  breathing  lightly  upon  the  surface  of  the 
portrait,  and  dip  your  pencil  into  the  bottle  containing 
the  flesh  color,  and  work  in  a circular  direction,  press- 
ing gently  upon  the  glass,  to  cause  the  color  to  adhere 

— the  breathing  is  for  the  same  purpose  ; then  blow  off 
the  superfluous  powder  with  an  India-rubber  bottle.  As 
the  color  approaches  the  outline,  soften  it  off  with  gray, 
and  be  careful  to  preserve  the  roundness  of  the  cheeks 
and  forehead  which  is  observable  in  nature,  by  keeping 
the  high  lights  in  the  center,  and  graduating  the  flesh 
tints  into  the  grays  and  shadows.  Next  put  in  the 
darkest  parts  of  the  draperies  and  hair.  When  engaged 


13* 


150  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 


upon  the  latter,  cause  your  pencil  to  move  in  a wavy 
manner,  as  the  hair  flows.  The  lights  are  to  be  laid  in 
last,  with  the  colors  provided  for  that  purpose,  and  be 
particular  not  to  soil  them  with  the  shadow  tints,  keep- 
ing them  as  bright  as  possible.  Proceed  in  the  same 
way  with  all  the  other  colors,  and  if  the  tints  contained 
in  the  bottles  he  too  powerful  for  your  picture,  you  can 
reduce  them  with  white , which  bears  the  same  relation- 
ship to  powder  colors  that  water  does  to  the  ordinary 
cakes.  When  at  work,  have  a piece  of  black  cloth  or 
velvet  on  the  reverse  side,  which  will  show  up  the  head 
to  advantage.  The  same  process  as  the  above  is  appli- 
cable to  daguerreotype  portraits  and  paper  pictures, 
the  breathing  on  the  plate,  and  the  varnishing,  alone 
excepted. 

Hitherto  glass  positives  have  only  been  tinted  in  the 
manner  described,  and  which  the  veriest  tyro  in  the  arts 
may  accomplish  with  ease.  Artists  have  given  very 
little  attention  to  the  subject,  believing  that  glass  pic- 
tures would  never  be  much  esteemed  by  the  public,  be- 
cause they  are  taken  upon  such  a brittle  material ; but 
in  consequence  of  the  increasing  demand  for  them,  and 
the  low  prices  for  which  they  can  be  obtained,  it  has 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  151 


been  deemed  advisable  to  say  something  upon  tbe  sub- 
ject ; and  experience  shows  that  more  can  be  done  with 
them  now  than  formerly,  as  they  are  capable  of  receiv- 
ing a considerable  amount  of  finish. 

Having  put  in  the  general  tints  with  powder  colors, 
assimilating  them  as  much  as  possible  to  the  complex- 
ion, you  may  finish  them  up  with  cake  colors,  by  mark- 
ing out  the  eyes,  eyebrows,  mouth,  nostrils,  etc.,  taking 
care,  however,  not  to  run  the  water  colors  into  the  grays 
or  carnations,  as  they  must  be  kept  intact. 

These  'various  touchings  produce  a sharp  and  spirited 
effect,  and  will  give  to  the  portrait  a most  decided  and 
artistic  appearance.  If  ornaments  of  gold  or  silver  occur, 
they  may  be  put  in  with  metal. 

If  glass  positives  are  varnished,  which  is  the  work  of 
the  photographer,  you  may  use  water  colors  upon  them 
almost  as  freely  as  on  paper ; but  in  general  all  that  is 
done  to  them  is  merely  to  apply  a little  powder  color  for 
the  flesh,  a touch  of  carnation  in  the  cheeks,  and  a tint 
upon  the  hair,  eye,  and  eyebrows. 

On  coloring  glass  positives  entirely  in  water  colors,  no 
more  need  be  said  than  what  has  already  been  urged  in  the 
case  of  paper  pictures,  the  manner  of  working  being  exactly 


152  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 

the  same,  the  chief  difficulty  which  presents  itself  being 
that  of  getting  the  colors  to  flow  smoothly ; but  that  is 
easily  overcome  by  the  addition  of  a small  quantity  ol 
ox-gall. 

Oil  colors  may  also  he  successfully  used  upon  glass, 
provided  the  amateur  has  a competent  knowledge  of  draw- 
ing to  carry  him  through  the  work  ; the  same  objections 
presenting  themselves  here  as  upon  paper. 

ULES  FOR  TINTING  PHOTO- 
GRAPHS SLIGHTLY.  — Having 
prepared  the  photograph  in  the 
usual  way,  take  a little  pink  mad- 
der, carmine,  and  Indian  yellow, 
or  whatever  color  most  resembles 
the  carnation ; lay  it  on  the  cheek, 
and,  with  a clean  pencil,  soften  it 
carefully  all  round  the  edges,  blend- 
ing the  tint  into  the  face.  Repeat 
the  process  once  and  again,  till  you  have  obtained  nearly 
as  much  color  as  necessary  — I say  nearly  as  much, 
because  you  have  to  pass  the  general  flesh-wash  over  it, 
which  has  the  effect  of  darkening  it  considerably.  For 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  153 


ths  purpose  of  softening,  it  will  be  as  well  to  have  two 
pencils  on  one  bolder.  It  might  appear  that  putting  on 
the  color  of  the  cheek  at  once,  and  softening  it,  would 
suffice  ; but  you  will  get  it  far  softer  by  doing  it  with  a 
very  pale  tint  two  or  three  times,  than  you  possibly  can 
by  making  it  at  once  as  powerful  as  necessary ; besides, 
it  is  impossible  to  soften  a strong  color  so  well  as  a pale 
tint.  When  the  color  is  quite  dry,  go  over  the  whole  of 
the  face  with  the  flesh  tint,  then  put  in  the  hair,  eyes, 
eyebrows,  and  lips ; round  off  the  forehead  with  a gray, 
and  apply  the  same  to  those  parts  of  the  face  where  you 
observe  it  to  be  in  nature.  If  your  photograph  be  a very 
dark  one,  you  will  not  require  so  much  gray  in  it  as  if 
it  were  a light  impression ; next  wash  in  the  background, 
and  proceed  with  the  draperies,  etc. 

Return  now  to  the  face,  strengthen  the  carnations, 
grays,  and  shadows,  by  hatching  # delicate  tints  over 
them ; put  the  light  in  the  eye  and  the  spirited  touches 
about  it  and  the  eyebrows,  mouth,  etc.,  and  finish  off  the 
hair.  In  dark  photographs  you  will  require  to  lay  the 

* Hatching  is  that  effect  which  is  produced  by  the  crossings  of  the  pencil, 
after  you  have  given  to  the  head  all  the  larger  washes,  and  must  be  done  in  the 
manner  described  above.  To  an  inexperienced  eye,  hatching  assumes  the  ap- 
pearance of  a series  of  dots. 


154  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS. 

lights  on  the  hair  with  body  color,  as  it  is  generally  much 
darker  than  it  appears  in  nature.  Make  out  the  linen 
with  a gray,  deepening  it  in  the  darkest  parts,  and  lay  on 
•the  high  lights  with  constant  or  Chinese  white.  Proceed 
next  to  shadow  the  drapery,  and  when  you  have  ob- 
tained the  required  depth,  scumble  in  the  high  lights, 
using  a bare  pencil  and  a very  gentle  hand,  as  before 
directed. 

Give  the  background  another  wash,  if  requisite,  and 
your  photograph  is  finished. 

If  there  be  metal  buttons,  chains,  or  epaulets,  they 
must  be  laid  over  the  dress  with  body  colors ; a very  good 
ground  for  them  is  red  chrome  and  gamboge,  shadowed 
with  burnt  umber,  and  hightened  on  the  lights  with 
lemon  chrome  and  Chinese  white. 

By  the  foregoing  method,  it  will  be  unnecessary  to 
hatch  or  stipple  a great  deal,  for  you  will  find  that  the 
face  will  come  out  very  soft  and  round  without  it ; but 
the  effect  is  far  inferior  to  that  produced  by  the  other 
process. 

Prepared  Ox-gall.  — It  is  necessary  to  have  a little  of 
the  above  preparation,  but  be  sparing  in  your  use  of  it. 
Too  much  of  it  in  the  colors  will  cause  them  to  sink 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  WATER  COLORS.  155 

into  the  paper,  and  there  is  no  possibility  of  getting  them 
out  again,  nor  can  you  wash  over  the  parts  to  any  advan- 
tage. Ox-gall  can  only  be  of  use  in  the  first  coloring,  to 
kill  the  grease ; after  the  photograph  has  been  fairly 
covered  all  over,  there  can  be  little  to  apprehend  on  that 
point. 

When  the  paper  is  greasy,  and  you  find  a diffi- 
culty in  getting  a tint  to  run  smoothly,  rub  the  point 
of  your  pencil  on  the  gall,  and  mix  it  up  in  the 
color. 

Painting  Photographs  in  Oil.  — To  meet  the  wishes  of 
those  who  are  anxious  to  obtain  an  insight  into  the  pro- 
cess of  painting  photographs  in  oil,  the  following  direc- 
tions are  offered : Care  has  been  taken  to  render  them 

plain,  concise,  and  as  general  in  their  application  as  pos- 
sible. But  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  art  of  paint- 
ing is  not  to  be  acquired  even  from  the  best  treatises,  by 
the  most  accomplished  masters,  while,  in  this  trifling 
sketch,  all  that  is  sought  to  be  conveyed  is  to  initiate  the 
tyro  into  a method. 

A few  lessons  by  an  experienced  hand,  and  assiduous 
study  on  the  student’s  part,  will,  in  a short  time,  do  more 
than  twenty  books  could  accomplish. 


156  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  OIL  COLORS. 
REQUISITES  FOR  OIL  PAINTING. 

A BOX  OF  TUBE  COLORS  CONTAINING,  — 


White, 

Purple  Madder, 

Naples  Yellow, 

Raw  Umber, 

Yellow  Ocher, 

Burnt  Umber, 

Brown.  Ocher, 

Vandyke  Brown, 

Raw  Sienna, 

Terre  Verte, 

Burnt  Sienna, 

Emerald  Green, 

Light  Red, 

Ivory  Black, 

Venetian  Red, 

Palette  and  Knife, 

Vermilion, 

Sables, 

Indian  Red, 

Softeners, 

Purple  Lake, 

Pale  Drying  Oil, 

Crimson  Lake, 

Mastic, 

Rose  Madder, 

Megilp, 

Ultramarine, 

Turpentine, 

Cobalt, 

Poppy  Oil. 

Prussian  Blue, 

1 

How  to  prepare  the  Photograph.  — Get  some  size,  and 
melt  it  in  a dish  over  a slow  fire ; when  it  is  dissolved, 
strain  it  through  flannel  into  a soup  plate,  and  immerse 
the  photograph  in  it.  When  it  is  sufficiently  saturated 
with  the  size,  take  it  out  and  let  it  dry,  then  paste  it 
down  on  card-board,  and  it  is  ready  for  use.  Another 
method : Dip  a flat  camel-hair  tool  into  the  size,  and  go 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  OIL  COLORS.  157 

over  both  sides  of  the  photograph.  If  it  he  insuffi- 
ciently prepared,  the  colors  will  sink  in  those  parts  where 
there  is  a paucity  of  size,  and  you  must  give  it  another 
coat. 

Oil  Colors.  — The  following  is  a table  of  tints  in  very 
general  use  with  artists  ; hut  it  must,  however,  be 
clearly  understood  that  they  are  capable  of  many  mod- 
ifications to  meet  almost  every  variety  of  color  observable 
in  nature.  Portraits  of  ladies,  but  children  more  espe- 
cially, require  the  tints  for  the  first  and  subsequent  paint- 
ings to  be  kept  exceedingly  delicate  and  pearly  ; for  the 
adult  male  head  the  colors  must  be  more  powerful. 


TABLE  OF  TINTS  FOR  THE  FIRST  PAINTING. 

FLESH. 


White  and  Light  Red. 

White,  Naples  Yellow,  and  Ver- 
milion. 

WTiite  and  Naples  Yellow. 
White,  Vermilion,  and  Light  Red. 

Gray , Pearly , and  Half  Tints. 
White,  Vermilion,  and  Black. 
WTiite  and  Terre  Verte. 

White,  Black,  Indian  Red,  and 
Raw  Umber. 


Deep  Shades. 

Light  Red  and  Raw  Umber. 
Indian  Red,  Lake,  and  Black. 

Carnations. 

White  and  Indian  Red,  (powerful 
color.) 

White  and  Rose  Madder. 

White  and  Lake. 


14 


158  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  OIL  COLORS. 


Light  Hair. 

White  and  Yellow  Ocher. 

White  and  Homan  Ocher. 

White  and  Vandyke  Brown,  for 
the  dark  parts. 


HAIR. 

White  and  Haw  Timber  for  the 
dark  parts. 

Dark  Brown  Hair. 

Haw  and  Burnt  Umber. 

White  and  Haw  Umber. 

White,  Vandyke  Brown. 


First  Painting.  — Lay  out  the  palette  in  the  following 
order:  Place  the  lightest  flesh  tints  nearest  the  right 
hand ; next  in  succession  those  having  more  color  in 
them ; then  the  middle  and  shade  tints ; and  lastly,  the 
pure  colors.  Use  megilp  * as  a vehicle,  if  you  wish  to 
paint  thinly,  and  add  a little  turpentine  to  it. 

Begin  by  laying  on  the  high  lights,  gradually  descend- 
ing into  the  more  florid  parts,  till  you  arrive  at  the  mid- 
dle tones,  which  in  their  turn  descend  into  the  shadows. 
Lay  the  color  on  the  lights  of  some  consistency,  but  let 
the  shadows  be  thin. 

Be  careful  not  to  work  the  lights  about  with  your 
brush,  but  lay  them  on  boldly  and  full.  Put  in  a gray 
tint  for  the  white  of  the  eye,  and  paint  the  iris  and  pupil 
upon  it.  Take  a warm  shade  color,  and  mark  out  the 
features,  and  lay  in  the  lips  with  a tint  considerably 


* Megilp  is  composed  of  drying  oil  and  mastic  varnish;  stir  gently  together  till 
they  incorporate,  and  let  the  mixture  remain  until  it  becomes  thick. 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  OIL  COLORS.  159 

under  nature ; indeed,  it  is  necessary  to  force  up  the 
whole  of  the  coloring  to  allow  for  it  sinking  in  drying. 
Proceed  to  the  hair  and  eyebrows,  lay  in  the  shades,  and 
after  them  the  lights,  define  the  draperies  in  the  like 
way,  and  rub  in  the  background,  beginning  with  the 
lightest  part.  When  you  have  got  on  thus  far,  take  a 
softener  — a badger’s  hair  tool  — and  go  gently  over  the 
whole  of  the  face  to  round  it,  and  make  the  various  tints 
blend  into,  and  unite  with,  each  other. 

Second  Painting.  — Having  allowed  the  picture  ten  or 
twelve  hours  to  dry,  the  next  operation  will  be  preparing 
it  for  the  second  painting. 

Take  a sponge  * moderately  charged  with  water,  and 
go  gently  over  all  the  work ; when  it  is  dry,  dip  a brush 
in  poppy  oil,  and  again  go  over  the  surface ; then  wipe  off 
the  superfluous  oil  with  a piece  of  soft  silk  as  gently  as 
you  applied  it.  This  is  termed  44  oiling  out,”  and  is 
done  that  the  subsequent  paintings  may  unite  with  the 
first.  Nevertheless,  it  is  frequently  omitted ; but  wash- 
ing with  the  sponge  cannot  be  dispensed  with,  for  without 
it,  the  glazes  will  not  lie,  but  curdle  on  the  picture. 

* Breathe  upon  tile  surface  of  the  picture.  If  it  becomes  dull  or  misty,  you 
may  safely  use  the  sponge  ; but  if  the  breath  does  not  affect  it,  do  not  go  on  — it 
is  not  dry  enough. 


160  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  OIL  COLORS. 


TABLE  OF  TINTS  FOR  THE  SECOND  AND  THIRD 
PAINTING.* 

High  Lights.  — White  and  Naples  yellow. 

Carnations Rose  madder  and  white.  Indian  red,  rose  madder, 

and  white. 

Green  Tints.  — White  and  ultramarine  with  any  of  the  yellows. 
White  and  terre  yerte,  with  the  addition  of  a little  raw  umber. 
The  above  green  tints  may  be  converted  into  green  grays. 

Gray  Tints.  — Ultramarine,  light  red,  and  white.  Indian  red,  lake, 
black,  and  white.  White,  ultramarine,  Indian  red,  and  raw  umber. 

Purple  Tints.  — Any  of  the  lakes,  or  red  madders,  with  ultra- 
marine  and  white. 

Powerful  Shadow  Tints.  — Indian  red,  purple  lake,  and  black. 
Indian  red,  raw  umber,  and  black. 

Strong  Glazing  Colors.  — Light  red  and  lake.  Brown  madder. 
Vandyke  brown,  Indian  red,  and  lake  asphaltum. 

Proceed  now  to  improve  the  lights,  yellows,  and  florid 
tones,  with  tints  that  approach  your  model ; then  glaze 
the  shadows  where  they  are  wanting  in  depth  and  color. 

The  alterations,  which  at  this  stage  are  necessary, 
should  be  made  with  the  shade  tint,  your  own  judg- 
ment guiding  you  to  the  requisite  depth  of  color  for 
that  purpose.  Look  carefully  over  all  the  photograph, 


* These  and  th3  following  tints  might  be  increased  almost  ad  infinitum  ,•  but 
it  is  better  to  present  only  a few  to  the  learner,  as  a great  number  would  only 
serve  to  bewilder  him. 


PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  OIL  COLORS.  161 

and  put  in  some  of  the  spirited  touches  about  the  eyes, 
mouth,  etc.  Then  improve  the  gray  and  pearly  tints, 
(those  about  the  mouth  and  eyes  require  very  delicate 
handling,)  and  blend  them  into  their  proximate  colors 
with  a softener.  Next  look  to  the  reflexes,  which  are 
to  he  painted,  if  possible,  without  any  white  in  them. 
Soften  the  outline  of  the  head  with  the  background,  so 
as  to  take  off  every  appearance  of  hardness,  remembering 
that  there  should  be  no  such  thing  as  a sharp  outline  in 
the  face  ; a glance  at  a plain  photograph  will  at  once 
show  this  to  you.  The  lines  of  the  eyes,  mouth,  and 
nostrils  must  also  be  carefully  blended  ; but  they  must 
not  be  rendered  too  soft,  or  they  will  impart  an  air  of 
insipidity  to  the  countenance. 

Third  Painting.  — Having  proceeded  thus  far,  it  will 
be  necessary  to  sponge  the  picture  again.  Scumble  over 
the  lights  again  where  necessary,  improve  still  further 
the  luminous  tints,  and  look  to  the  glazing  and  reflexes. 
In  finishing  the  carnations,  as  little  white  as  possible 
should  enter  into  their  composition  ; and  they,  together 
with  the  lights,  should  be  laid  on  with  a fine  pencil,  and 
a quick  and  decided  touch,  keeping  them  pure  from  the 
preceding  colors.  Soften  all  the  parts  which  appear 
14* 


162  PHOTOGRAPH  PAINTING  IN  OIL  COLORS. 


crude  or  hard,  and  finish  off  the  background  and 
draperies.  The  hands  require  a flesh  tint  similar  to 
the  face,  and  the  same  gray  and  pearly  tints  are  used 
for  them.  If  extreme  finish  be  aimed  at,  you  may  re- 
touch your  work  several  times,  allowing  it  to  dry  be- 
tween every  retouching. 

Draperies.  — The  scale  of  colors  is  nearly  the  same 
as  for  water ; but,  instead  of  gamboge,  yellow  ocher 
and  ocher  yellows  are  used,  and  Prussian  blue  is  taken 
for  indigo. 

The  shades,  being  laid  in,  are  met  by  the  half  tones 
and  lights,  and  are  blended  with  a softener.  The  shad- 
ows are  then  finished  by  glazing,  and  the  lights  by 
scumbling  over  them. 

Background  Colors.  Pearly. — White,  vermilion,  and  blue. 
White,  vermilion,  and  black.  White  and  black. 

Gray . — White,  Venetian  red,  and  black. 

Yellow.  — Yellow  ochre  and  white. 

Olive Yellow  ocher,  terre  verte,  and  umber. 

Stone.  — Raw  umber  and  yellow.  Black,  white,  and  raw  umber. 

Sky.  — French  blue  and  white,  French  blue,  vermilion,  and 
white. 

Edges  of  Clouds.  — Yellow  ocher  and  white. 

Clouds.  Indian  red,  lake,  black,  and  white.  Brown  madder, 
French  blue,  and  white. 


Dritttial  laittthjj. 


(163) 


design  underneath,  usually  flowers,  birds,  and  frequently, 
when  wanted  for  a table  stand,  forms  for  chess  playing 
are  used,  gilt,  etc.  Then  take  a fine  badger,  or  camel’s 
hair  pencil,  and  with  the  color  you  would  have  the  ground 
when  done,  trace  the  outline  of  each  figure  not  joined  by 
another  color ; such  must  be  traced  with  the  color  you 

(165) 


166 


ORIENTAL  PAINTING. 


■would  liave  the  figure ; as,  green,  if  a leaf  or  stem ; for 
rose  ©x  flower,  the  color  of  the  rose  or  flower.  After 
this  lias  been  traced  out  as  perfectly  as  possible,  shade 
theileaves  by  laying  thicker  coats  when  you  would  have 
it  fdafkex.  This  will  be  easy,  as  you  have  only  to  fol- 
low The  pattern.  Also  make  the  veins  with  a darker 
shMe,  dipping  the  edge  with  the  same.  A little  practice 
■will  «hew  where  effect  can  best  be  obtained.  Now  put 
«om  your ‘ground*  which  should  be  composed  of  fine  white 
jpicture  warnish,  or,  what  is  better,  our  Outside  varnish, 
•colored  with  any  dry  or  tube  oil  colors.  If  black,  lamp- 
^blackTinaj  be  used;  it  should  be  well  ground.  After 
ffihis  isf  thorough!  y dry,  lay  on  and  confine  with  this  same 
'mixture,  tin  foil,  or  tinsel,  either  smooth  or  crimpled. 
IP  earl"  dsffreq  ueu  tly  used  in  the  Oriental  style  ; yet  a per- 
son- welbpractic  jd  can  imitate  it  perfectly  with  the  foil, 
which  is  *much  c heaper.  Cover  the  whole  with  black,  or 
we-ry  dark  nambr  ic,  confined  with  the  same  mixture. 

TTher  odiors  us  .ed  must  be  transparent,  or  nearly  so  ; 
dill  tube  eeolors  a nil  answer,  or  powders  mixed  well  with 
'Outside^mrnish.  The  lakes  are  all  transparent,  eme- 
rald green,  raw  and  burnt  sienna,  and  others  which  any 
; artisi  cokr/man  w ill  inform  you  when  buying  your  colors. 


ORIENTAL  PAINTING. 


167 


We  have  published,  for  Oriental  painting,  two  fine 
copies ; one,  a handsome  wreath,  with  fountain,  birds, 
etc.  ; the  other,  an  elegant  vase  of  flowers,  with  birds’ 
nests,  birds,  butterflies,  etc.  ; price,  one  dollar  the  pair, 
post-paid,  on  a roller,  to  any  address.  Also,  two  smaller 
ones,  that  will  combine  with  the  vase  and  wreath  to 
make  innumerable  combinations,  or  may  be  used  sepa- 
rately ; price,  forty  cents  the  pair ; or  we  will  send 
the  four  on  one  roll  for  $1.25,  post-paid.  A fine 
copy  for  chess-tables  has  just  been  added  to  the  list, 
the  design  of  which  is  very  beautiful ; price,  eighty 
cents. 

For  gold  lines,  etc.,  draw  with  the  varnish,  as  if  paint, 
and  when  dry  to  a tack,  lay  on  gold  leaf,  or  rub  on  gold 
bronze  of  any  color.  If  bronze  is  used,  apply  as  soon  as 
varnished.  Gold  work,  in  most  cases,  should  be  left  till 
the  last.* 

The  publishers  of  this  book  have  put  up,  under  their 
personal  observation,  boxes  of  dry  colors,  assorted  colors 
in  bottles,  suitable  for  Oriental  painting,  which  they 
send  by  mail  for  $1.25.  This  method  has  proved  very 
satisfactory. 

Prof.  Day’s  Method.  — Oriental  painting  on  glass 


168 


ORIENTAL  PAINTING. 


is  so  called  from  its  capability  of  producing  effects  oi 
coloring  equal  to  the  colors  of  Oriental  flowers,  and  the 
plumage  of  Oriental  birds.  This  beautiful,  showy,  and 
gorgeous  style  of  painting  never  fails  to  attract  admirers 
wherever  it  has  been  introduced.  No  style  of  painting 
has  yet  been  invented  that  shows  transparent  colors  to 
such  advantage  as  this,  when  properly  and  carefully  done. 
If  the  purest  transparent  colors  are  to  be  used,  and  mixed 
with  the  lightest  varnish,  and  the  lights  and  shades  of  the 
flowers  carefully  attended  to,  and  any  light  body  (even 
paper)  put  at  the  back  of  the  glass,  the  painting  will 
show  with  good  effect ; but  when  the  brilliancy  of 
the  color  is  reflected  back  by  means  of  the  brightly 
planished  silver  foil,  every  shade  of  tone  is  made  to 
yield  its  otherwise  concealed  beauty,  making  this  style 
of  painting  well  adapted  to  reflect  the  many  splendid 
colors  nature  has  in  store  for  the  admirer  of  flowers 
and  showy  plumage  of  birds. 

Directions.  — Procure  ten  thimbles,  large  size  and  long;  ten 
buttons  to  fit  on  the  top ; a piece  of  wood  ten  inches  long,  two 
wide,  one  thick;  bore  ten  holes  in  it  in  which  to  fit  the  thimbles. 
A 'paint  stand  can  be  made  of  tin,  or  in  a box,  or  in  any  other 
way  that  will  suggest  itself  to  the  convenience  and  ingenuity 
of  the  artist.  A ground  glass  slab,  from  six  to  eight  inches 


ORIENTAL  PAINTING. 


169 


square,  on  which  to  mix  the  colors  ; a palette  knife,  four  inch 
blade,  (rather  stiff  is  preferable ; it  mixes  up  the  color  better  ;) 
a bottle  of  copal  varnish,  and  one  of  turpentine ; set  of  mix- 
ing colors ; all  of  which  may  be  had  from  the  publishers  of 
this  work. 

To  commence  a picture,  procure  a glass  the  size  you  wish,  then 
get  a clear  outline  drawing  on  white  paper,  and  fit  it  on  your  glass ; 
next  prepare  a little  lampblack  (lampblack  is  not  down  in  the 
list  of  colors,  because  it  is  readily  procured)  by  mixing  it  on  your 
glass  slab  with  copal  varnish,  using  sufficient  varnish  to  make  a 
semi-transparent  or  neutral  color,  thinning  it  a little  with  turpentine 
if  necessary,  and  put  it  into  one  of  the  thimbles.  Take  a crow 
quill  brush,  with  hairs  about  five  eighths  of  an  inch  long,  and 
with  the  neutral  black  trace  every  line,  and  mark  off  your  draw- 
ing on  the  glass.  This  is  a long  and  tedious  affair,  if  the  design 
is  large  and  complicated,  and  to  look  well  requires  to  be  done 
neatly.  Next,  all  the  little  stems,  and  fine  tracery  work  of  weeds, 
etc.,  that  is  sometimes  introduced  to  take  off  the  crowded  appear- 
ance of  a group  of  flowers ; pencil  in  with  opaque  green  made  of 
chrome  yellow  and  a little  Prussian  blue,  (directions  for  mixing  are 
on  an  advance  page ;)  sometimes  a little  bronze  is  introduced  in  the 
same  way  for  variety  ; for  this,  mix  a little  bronze  with  copal  varnish, 
put  it  on  with  the  same  brush  as  you  used  for  the  green  work  and 
outlining ; sometimes  a dot  of  scarlet  mixed  with  varnish  is  put  on, 
or  pale  blue,  made  of  white  and  blue.  This  being  done,  see  that  the 
glass  is  free  from  finger  marks,  and  commence  the  groundwork  with 
lampblack  mixed  with  copal  varnish,  going  carefully  around  the 
design,  avoiding  all  the  parts  you  wish  to  paint  with  transparent 
colors ; the  small  work  done  with  the  opaque  colors  can  be  gone 
over  with  the  black.  When  you  have  gone  over  it  once,  hold  it  up 
15 


170 


ORIENTAL  PAINTING. 


to  the  light,  and  you  will  perceive  it  full  of  places  not  sufficiently 
covered;  touch  all  such  again,  to  make  it  perfectly  solid.  When 
all  this  is  done,  it  is  ready  for  the  transparent  colors  on  the  flow- 
ers, which  are,  of  course,  varied  according  to  the  design.  To  make 
scarlet  flowers : coat  over  the  flowers  about  three  times  with  pure 
yellow  lake,  then  once  or  twice  with  crimson  lake,  according  to 
the  intensity  of  the  shade  ; make  the  deeper  shades  by  adding  a 
little  blue  in  the  crimson  lake.  Yellow  flowers:  paint  with  a 
weak  shade  of  yellow  lake,  and  the  shades  by  adding  a very  little 
burnt  sienna  with  it.  Bide  flowers  : use  light  blue ; and  for  the 
deep  shades  add  a little  Prussian  blue.  Purple  flowers  : purple 
made  of  crimson  lake  and  Prussian  blue,  according  to  the  tint 
required ; a very  delicate  purple  is  obtained  by  mixing  rose  pink 
and  a little  light  blue*  Pink  roses  and  geraniums  : use  rose  pink, 
and  for  the  deeper  shades  add  a little  crimson  lake.  White  flowers  : 
use  a neutral  on  the  shaded  parts  composed  of  a little  Vandyke 
brown  and  a little  blue,  diluted  with  varnish  to  suit  the  tint  re- 
quired ; the  high  lights  of  white  flowers  are  left  clear  glass,  and 
sometimes  for  small  flowers  a little  opaque  white  is  introduced  on 
the  high  lights  to  imitate  pearl.  Peal  pearl  is  often  put  on ; but 
this  will  be  referred  to  again.  Stamens  of  flowers  are  done  with 
Vandyke  brown  ; anthers  sometimes  with  chrome  yellow  and  a 
little  burnt  sienna  mixed  wflth  them,  and  sometimes  yellow  lake, 
dotted  with  burnt  sienna.  Green  leaves  are  stained  with  transpar- 
ent green,  made  with  yellow  lake  and  Prussian  blue ; a good  deal 
of  yellow  lake  if  a yellow  green  is  required,  and  not  so  much  if  a 
cold  blue  green  is  wanted.  Autumnal  greens : add  a little  burnt 
sienna.  The  leaves  are  painted  over  two  or  three  times  in  the 
parts  that  are  wanted  darker,  also  the  deep  shades  against  flowers, 
where  the  leaf  goes  under  a flower.  Use  a little  Vandyke  brown 
with  the  green.  When  the  painting  is  finished,  it  is  better  to  allow 


ORIENTAL  PAINTING. 


171 


it  to  remain  a few  days  before  putting  on  the  foil.  When  it  is  suf- 
ficiently dry,  if  you  wish  to  introduce  any  pearl,  select  the  white 
flowers,  because  there  is  a portion  of  the  glass  left  clear,  and  the 
pearl  shows  to  advantage.  The  pearl  must  be  cut  pretty  near  the 
shape  of  the  flower,  and  two  or  three  dots  of  clear  varnish  put  on ; 
then  it  is  to  be  fitted  to  the  flower,  and  left  for  a few  hours  to  dry. 
Sometimes  it  is  well  to  put  a weight  on,  then  fix  on  the  foil  and 
fasten  it  with  black  putty,  or  some  of  your  black  that  is  left 
from  your  coating.  Cover  the  entire  piece  with  a board,  and  let 
it  remain  a few  hours  ; or  if  you  are  going  to  frame  it,  put  it  im- 
mediately in  the  frame,  and  the  back  board  will  keep  it  in  its  place ; 
or  if  it  is  a table,  the  back  of  the  table  will  answer  the  same 
purpose ; if  neither,  take  a strong  piece  of  brown  paper  and  cover 
it,  pasting  carefully  round  the  edges,  and  make  it  stick  fast. 

Observations.  — Be  sure  that  the  glass  is  well  cleaned  before 
beginning.  All  fine  stems,  and  fine  work  that  is  intended  to  be 
done  with  opaque  color  or  bronze,  has  no  occasion  to  be  touched  in 
the  outlining. 

Directions  for  mixing  Colors.  — Be  careful  to  have  the  glass 
slab  clean  and  free  from  dust  — also  the  palette  knife  ; then  put 
on  the  glass  as  much  of  the  powder  color  as  you  think  you  may 
want ; put  enough  copal  or  outside  varnish  to  it  to  make  it  absorb 
all  the  color  and  flow  easily,  and  mix  by  moving  it  round  and 
round,  with  a little  pressure  upon  it,  so  as  to  make  fine  all  the 
little  color  particles  that  are  visible  ; occasionally  add  turpentine 
to  thin  it,  and  mix  again.  When  it  is  sufficiently  fine,  put  it  into 
one  of  the  thimbles.  All  the  colors  are  mixed  in  the  same  way. 
If  you  are  to  use  most  or  all  of  the  transparent  colors  at  one  sit- 
ting, the  best  plan  will  be  to  mix  them  as  follows  : yellow  lake 
first,  then  burnt  sienna,  then  Vandyke  brown.  These  three  colors, 
if  mixed  in  this  order,  can  be  mixed  without  cleaning  the  glass, 


172 


ORIENTAL  PAINTING. 


because  the  yellow  lake  which  would  remain  on  the  glass  after 
scraping  it  up  to  put  in  the  thimble  would  not  injure  the  sienna, 
nor  would  the  sienna  injure  Yandyke  brown.  The  glass  must  be 
thoroughly  cleaned  for  rose  pink ; then  mix  crimson  lake  ; then 
clean  your  glass  for  light  blue,  then  Prussian  blue.  When  you 
mix  white,  the  glass  must  be  rubbed  until  it  is  perfectly  clean. 
Chrome  yellow  can  be  mixed  after  white  without  cleaning.  In 
mixing  yellow  lake,  rose  pink,  crimson  lake,  and  white,  the  glass 
must  be  as  clean  as  if  color  had  never  been  upon  it.  This  can 
easily  be  done  by  rubbing  it  with  turpentine  and  a clean  rag.  We 
are  particular  in  detailing  this,  and  in  trying  to  impress  upon  the 
artist  the  necessity  of  having  all  the  colors  pure , especially  the  four 
colors  named  above  ; likewise  to  have  them  wrell  mixed,  free  from 
all  particles  of  color.  All  this  must  be  strictly  attended  to,  in 
order  that  the  painting  may  look  well.  Some  colors  require 
more  varnish  than  others.  Yellow  lake,  rose  pink,  blue,  and 
crimson  lake  require  about  the  same  ; the  three  opaque  colors, 
chrome  vellow,  white,  and  scarlet,  a little  more  ; Yandyke  brown, 
sienna,  and  Prussian  blue  require  still  more.  Prussian  blue  and 
crimson  lake  are  the  most  difficult  colors  to  mix,  and  more  time 
for  mixing  should  be  allowed. 

In  the  absence  of  a glass  slab,  a clean  white  china  plate  — as 
smooth  a one  as  can  be  chosen  — is  A very  good  substitute.  Nine 
of  the  thimbles  are  now  occupied.  In  the  tenth  put  in  some  clear 
varnish,  as  it  is  useful  and  convenient  to  dip  your  brush  in  when 
you  wish  to  reduce  any  shade  — that  is,  make  it  lighter.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  have  a thimble  for  green,  as  there  is  so  little  used ; 
you  can  make  it  from  the  thimbles  as  you  require  it.  In  painting, 
when  a light  shade  is  required,  use  a little  more  varnish- with  your 
color ; and  when  your  color  becomes  thick,  always  thin  it  with 


ORIENTAL  PAINTING. 


173 


turpentine.  By  attending  to  these  two  remarks,  much  trouble 
will  be  saved,  as  the  evaporation  of  the  turpentine  is  continually 
going  on,  and  the  paint  gradually  becomes  too  thick  for  us^. 
After  painting,  if  you  do  not  wish  your  thimbles  again  for  some 
time,  put  a drop  of  clean  turpentine  on  each  color,  then  carefully 
press  the  buttons  on  so  as  to  exclude  the  air.  Thus  the  colors  will 
keep  good  for  several  days.  The  black  for  the  groundwork  is 
made  of  lampblack  mixed  with  copal  or  Outside  varnish,  and  had 
better  be  put  in  something  larger  than  a thimble,  as  so  much  of  it 
is  used.  (It  can  be  had  of  the  publishers  of  this  work  at  twenty- 
five  cents  per  bottle.)  Lampblack  is  a common  color,  and  may  be 
purchased  any  where  ; or  you  can  make  it  yourself,  by  lighting  a 
common  oil  lamp,  make  it  smoke  well,  put  a tin  shade  over  it,  and 
the  collected  particles  on  the  shade  make  the  best  lampblack. 

For  variety,  Oriental  painting  is  sometimes  grounded  with 
white,  or  other  light  tints,  similar  to  those  enumerated  in  Poticho- 
mania.  In  doing  these,  much  greater  care  is  requisite,  owing  to 
the  delicate  grounding;  and,  instead  of  outlining  with  the- neutral 
tints,  it  is  better  to  outline  with  burnt  sienna.  Greater  care  is 
likewise  necessary  in  cleaning  the  glass,  as  any  finger  mark  will 
show,  when  coated  with  w'hite.  Foil  is  sometimes  wrinkled  or 
crumpled  between  the  fingers  very  much,  before  applying  it.  We 
prefer  to  use  it  plain. 

Sometimes  leaf  gold  is  introduced.  To  do  this,  a size  must  be 
made  of  isinglass ; a very  weak  solution  is  sufficient  — about  one 
inch  strip  of  common  isinglass  to  a teacup  of  hot  water  ; when 
thoroughly  dissolved,  strain  and  use  it  cold.  The  part  you  design 
to  gild  must  be  floated  with  this  water  ; then  get  a “ gilder’s  tip,” 
(a  technical  term  for  a long,  thin-haired,  flat  brush  ;)  have  your 
leaf  gold  all  ready  ; draw  the  tip  down  between  your  hand  and 


15* 


174 


OEIENTAL  PAINTING. 


cheek,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  to  the  tip  a little  electric  heat, 
which  causes  the  leaf  gold  to  be  slightly  attracted ; when  on  the 
tip,  you  can  place  it  readily  where  you  please.  When  you  have 
applied  all  the  gold  you  wish,  slightly  elevate  your  picture  to  let 
the  water  drain  off,  and  when  completely  dry,  you  can  remove  any 
part  you  do  not  wish  to  have  gilded,  with  a little  moisture.  That 
which  you  wish  to  remain,  you  can  paint  over  with  black ; or,  if 
you  wish  the  gold  to  show  on  both  sides,  as  is  sometimes  required 
in  other  gilding,  such  as  lettering,  you  may  then  varnish  it  with 
clear  Outside  varnish.  Some  persons  object  to  the  foil  at  the  back 
of  the  Oriental,  thinking  it  too  glaring.  This  glare  can  be  obvi- 
ated by  means  of  the  gold.  For  this  process,  when  your  painting 
is  quite  finished,  float  it  well  with  the  isinglass  size,  and  use  pale 
gold  by  means  of  the  tip.  It  has  a very  good  effect,  and  shows  the 
transparent  colors  to  good  advantage,  but  not  so  brilliant  as  the  foil. 

How  to  paint  the  new  Pattern  for  a Chess  Table.  — 
This  has  been  made  to  use  either  as  a square  or  round. 
The  squares  had  better  be  finished  first,  and  a very 
pretty  way  to  do  this  is  to  draw  with  gold  size  the  lines 
around  outside  of  the  squares,  and  also  around  each 
square,  very  fine,  with  a hair  pencil,  and  after  it  has  dried 
about  twelve  hours,  lay  on  gold  leaf,  as  directed  for 
gilding:  first  press,  then  rub  off  with  a cotton  ball  the 
superfluous  gold,  or,  if  you  choose,  draw  the  lines  with 
the  Outside  or  copal  varnish,  and  apply  fine  gold  bronze 
directly.  The  squares  may  then  be  filled  in  with  opaque 


ORIENTAL  PAINTING. 


175 


colors  — say  vermilion  and  black,  or  black  and  white, 
or  as  fancy  may  direct,  or  the  squares  may  be  laid  in 
gold  and  silver  bronze.  The  light  squares  may  be  fixed 
to  imitate  pearl,  as  directed  before  ; in  fact,  there  an 
innumerable  ways  to  complete  even  these  simple  squares. 
Now  you  should  draw  the  line  in  the  same  way  as 
directed  for  the  squares  around  the  circle  ; and  if  you 
use  the  pattern  as  a square,  make  the  lines  about  the  out- 
side of  the  whole,  as  seen  in  the  design  ; these  lines  may 
be  gilded  or  silvered  like  the  others,  or  varnished.  It 
will  improve  the  whole  to  draw  very  finely  a black  line 
outside  of  these  last,  after  the  gold  or  silver  is  dry. 

The  beautiful  designs  used  to  fill  up  the  blanks  may  be 
finished  in  the  antique  style,  (see  proper  page,)  which 
would  be  very  fine  and  more  simple ; or  they  may  be 
painted  in  the  Oriental  style,  as  the  other.  If  in  the 
Antique  style,  cut  out  the  part  as  curved  carefully,  and 
prepare  one  part  at  a time,  using  great  care  not  to  rub 
through  on  the  light  parts.  If  you  conclude  on  Oriental 
method,  paint  as  follows  : — - 

The  cottage  and  landscape  at  the  top  we  need  hardly 
speak  of,  as  even  a common  artist  knows  the  colors  that 
will  be  best.  Draw  the  lines  as  we  have  directed 


176 


ORIENTAL  PAINTING. 


before  for  the  outlines,  then  shade  by  laying  more  coats 
of  the  colors  used  for  darker  tints,  placing  the  pearl 
or  foil  under,  and  fixing  the  whole.  It  will  be  well  to 
experiment  on  another  piece  of  glass  first,  so  as  to  be 
sure  you  are  right  as  to  colors,  and  not  to  injure  your 
other  work.  The  parrot  and  peacock  will  look  beauti- 
fully, admitting  the  brilliant  colors  which  nature  allows 
them,  touched  as  your  pattern  directs,  which  is  shaded  to 
give  lights  and  shades  natural  to  the  colors  used.  For  the 
race  at  the  bottom  we  would  give  the  same  simple  direc- 
tions as  for  the  cottage,  etc.,  at  the  top.  Draw  in  the 
outlines,  and  shade  neatly,  covering  all  with  the  foil. 

The  scrolls  in  the  corners,  if  you  use  the  whole  as  a 
square  instead  of  a round,  should  be  drawn  in  with 
black  for  the  darkest  parts,  and  shaded  with  sienna  and 
yellow  lake,  the  white  parts  left  till  the  last,  when  they 
should  be  gilded  as  directed  for  the  squares.  After  this  is 
dry,  cover  with  a background,  and  the  color  of  the  tint 
on  the  patten  will  be  rich  and  pretty. 

Another  fine  Way  to  use  this  Chess  Patten.  — Have  a 
small  table  made  of  the  proper  size,  and  varnish  the  top 
several  times  after  each  drying,  rubbing  well  with  fine  sand 
paper  to  get  a good  surface,  or,  have  the  table  finished  at 


ORIENTAL  PAINTING. 


177 


the  cabinet  shop ; then  you  will  only  have  to  polish  it 
well  for  use.  Now  varnish  with  the  Antique  varnish,  and 
treat  as  directed  in  the  Antique  painting;  rub  off  all  the 
paper,  leaving  the  print  only ; do  this  carefully,  as  if  on 
the  glass.  Touch  up  with  proper  colors,  bronze  and  var- 
nish over  the  whole  with  Outside  varnish  or  best  copal, 
and  you  will  have  a splendid  piece  of  furniture,  the 
beauty  of  which  depends  on  the  care  and  skill  of  the 
artist. 

Another  beautiful  way  is  to  do  the  whole  in  the  Gre- 
cian style,  touching  up  on  the  face  with  bright  colors, 
bronze,  etc.  ; glue  or  paste  to  the  table  or  board,  and 
varnish  and  finish. 

The  paper  is  prepared  and  the  drawing  made  for  all 
these  styles,  and'  many  others  will  suggest  themselves  to 
the  ingenious. 

A new  Way  of  painting  on  Rice  Paper.  — Make  the 
outline  with  a dark  lead  pencil,  on  clear  and  perfect  white 
paper,  the  same  as  for  Oriental  painting  ; place  the  rice 
paper  on  the  top  of  it,  and  proceed  to  paint  with  the 
transparent  colors  mixed  with  varnish  in  the  same  manner 
as  for  Oriental : opaque  colors  can  also  he  used.  No 
difficulty  will  be  found  in  painting  on  rice  paper  with  the 


178 


ORIENTAL  PAINTING. 


varnish  colors,  and  the  paper  will  not  wrinkle  as  it  does 
with  water  colors. 

The  inventive  mind  and  the  imagination  of  the  artist 
will  suggest  many  pleasing  combinations  of  the  Oriental 
studies  published  by  us.  For  instance,  the  fountain  can 
be  taken  out  from  the  center  of  the  wreath,  and  the 
basket  of  flowers  substituted  in  its  place.  Practice  of 
this  kind  is  flne  exercise,  stimulating  the  inventive  fac- 
ulties, and  giving  the  artist  a happy  facility  in  different 
styles  of  ornamental  work.  In  our  limited  space,  we 
can  only  give  hints,  without  entering  into  the  minute 
details.  But  from  the  principles  laid  down,  the  apt 
scholar  will  easily  make  pleasing  progress. 


fainting  on  I a s s 


(179) 


JItagk  lantern. 


only  a sketch,  and  outline  with  your  fine  brush  and 
neutral  black  in  the  same  manner  as  for  Oriental,  and 
paint  them  in  with  your  transparent  colors,  the  same 
as  used  in  Oriental  painting.  If  it  is  a landscape, 
make  the  distant  mountains  (if  any)  with  a pale  shade 
of  blue  and  crimson  lake ; at  a later  painting  add  a 

(181) 


16 


182 


PAINTING  ON  GLASS. 


little  yellow  lake,  and  repeat  with  these  three  colors  in 
different  proportions  until  the  effect  required  is  produced. 
Paint  the  foliage  with  yellow  lake  and  a little  blue.  For 
autumnal  foliage,  add  a little  burnt  sienna ; stems  of 
trees,  Vandyke  brown  and  burnt  sienna  ; flesh  tints  make 
with  yellow  lake,  crimson  lake,  and  burnt  sienna,  reduced 
very  much  with  varnish.  The  coloring  generally  must  be 
painted  strong,  as  it  is  to  be  magnified  very  much  when 
exhibited  on  the  disk.  Paint  the  clouds  pale  blue,  and 
dab  the  paint,  while  wet,  with  a bit  of  cotton  rolled  into  a 
light  ball.  This  process,  if  done  with  care,  has  a very 
soft,  fleecy  effect. 


fronting  on  foraft  ilass. 


made  beautiful  and  artistic,  such  as  lamp  shades, 

glass  doors,  vases,  and  in  fact  any  thing  for  which 
ground  glass  is  used.  The  same  transparent  colors 

are  used  that  have  already  been  mentioned,  mixed 

with  varnish.  Commence  with  making  a very  faint 
outline  with  a hard  lead  pencil,  drawing  out  the 

(183) 


184 


PAINTING  ON  GROUND  GLASS. 


design  you  wish  to  paint ; then  proceed  to®  paint  the 
flowers  or  birds  in  precisely  the  same  way  as  laid  down 
for  Oriental  painting.  Be  careful,  in  this  style,  not  to 
have  any  of  the  outline  visible.  Landscapes  can  be  done 
with . very  good  effect  on  ground  glass  by  proceeding 
according  to  the  method  of  bronze  painting.  All  the 
difference  is  painting  on  ground  glass  instead  of  bronze 
ground.  Wreaths  of  flowers  around  globe  shades  for 
gas  or  solar  lamps  look  very  well. 


ANY  small  signs  are  now  done  in  the  Oriental 
style.  For  this  method,  make  a clear  and 
correct  outline  of  the  letters,  if  you  are  not 
3 familiar  with  printing  or  lettering  ; then  re- 
verse  it.  This  can  be  best  done  by  placing 
it  against  the  window,  and  marking  over  all  the  letters 
clearly  and  distinctly  on  the  wrong  side.  Now  fit  the 
glass  on  this  side  of  your  paper,  and  commence  marking 
out  the  letters  with  black.  (Supposing  it  to  be  for  a 
black  ground,  your  paint  can  in  this  case  either  be 
mixed  with  varnish,  as  in  Oriental,  or  oil  paints.)  After 
they  are  all  marked  out,  fill  in  the  remaining  part  of  the 
uncovered  glass.  When  the  black  is  sufficiently  dry, 
you  can  fasten  on  the  pearl,  or  the  silver  foil,  in  the 


(185) 


16* 


186 


SIGN  PAINTING. 


same  manner  as  for  the  Oriental.  If  it  is  desired  to 
have  the  foil  wrinkled,  rub  it  between  the  hands  to 
crumple  it.  Sometimes  the  letters  are  partially  scum- 
bled ; that  is,  opaque  color,  reduced  with  megilp,  and 
shaded  on  ; sometimes  stained  with  the  different  trans- 
parent colors,  the  same  as  in  painting  the  flowers  in  Ori- 
ental work  ; then  put  on  the  foil. 

If  other  tints  of  grounding,  more  delicate  than  black, 
are  desired,  consult  the  tints  we  have  given  for  Poti- 
chomania  ; any  of  these  will  do,  always  observing  that 
the  letters  must  be  outlined  with  the  same  tint.  Signs 
in  this  style  can  likewise  be  done  in  the  antique  trans- 
fer method,  with  open  letters.  After  the  paper  is  re- 
moved, coat  over  with  the  grounding  preferred,  and 
apply  the  silver  foil. 

Gilding  for  Signs.  — Gilding  for  out- door  work  re- 
quires a stronger  size  than  for  other  gilding  ; the  size 
for  this  is  best  made  of  drying  oil,  the  old  and  fat 
being  the  best ; chrome  yellow  or  white  lead  mixed 
with  it,  sufficient  to  color  it  and  give  it  a little  more  body. 
We  have  a fine  article  at  seventy-five  cents  per  bottle. 
It  will  take  from  twelve  to  twenty-four  hours  to  dry, 
according  to  the  weather,  before  it  is  ready  for  the 
leaf  gold. 


Antique  Jamimq  on  ilass. 


inch  larger  all  round  than  the  picture,  to  allow  for 
framing,)  and  make  it  perfectly  clean ; apply  with 
a stiff  brush  a very  thin  coat  of  Antique  varnish,^ 


* The  Antique  Varnish  is  made  only  by  us,  and  will  have  our  name  on  each 
bottle.  Any  not  so  labeled  is  an  imitation , and  probably  worthless.  It  can  be 
had  of  us,  or  at  any  artists’  material  store. 


(187) 


188 


ANTIQUE  PAINTING  ON  GLASS. 


which  will  he  thoroughly  dry  in  six  hours.  Then 
apply  another  coat  of  the  same,  thin  and  very  equal 
and  smooth ; allow  this  to  dry  about  one  hour,  until 
nearly  dry,  strongly  adhering  to  the  finger  when  touched, 
but  not  sticky.  Then  put  on  the  engraving,  (having 
damped  it  thoroughly  with  warm  water,  not  too  wet, 
absorbing  the  extra  moisture  with  a cloth  or  blotting 
paper,)  with  the  face  to  the  varnish  side  of  the  glass  ; 
press  it  gently  until  every  part  adheres  to  the  surface ; 
rub  carefully  with  the  finger  a part  of  the  paper,  being 
sure  not  to  rub  through  the  engraving.  After  it  has 
dried  twelve  hours,  wet  again,  and  rub  off  all  the  paper, 
leaving  only  the  engraving.  When  again  dry,  moisten 
carefully  with  fine  bleached  drying  oil.  It  is  then  ready 
for  painting.  The  colors  will  strike  through  very  freely, 
as  there  is  no  paper  left,  and  will  not  spot  as  the  Gre- 
cian is  liable  to  do.  Do  not  use  any  turpentine  in 
this  style.  The  directions  are  the  same  as  for  Grecian 
painting,  except  more  pains  should  be  taken  to  shade 
and  blend  in  the  colors,  to  help  the  shading  in  the  en- 
graving, particularly  the  flesh  color  with  the  hair.  It 
will  be  found  that  fine  transparencies  may  be  made  as  * 
above.  The  glass,  after  it  is  prepared  for  painting,  re- 
sembles ground  glass. 


Papifr  a c b r . 


(189) 


of  painting,  but  combines  oil,  varnish,  transfer,  Oriental, 
bronze,  gilding,  raising,  enamel,  pearling,  and  others. 
We  propose  to  treat  each  one  under  a separate  head,  so 
as  to  be  better  understood. 

Papier  mache  painting  dates  its  origin  from  the  Chi- 
nese method  of  bronzing  and  gilding  on  lacquered  ware 

(191) 


192 


PAPIER  MACHE. 


but  has  undergone  so  many  changes  and  improvements, 
that  in  some  branches  bronze  and  gilding  have  little  or 
nothing  to  do  with  it,  and  a complete  change  has  taken 
place.  Flower  painting  with  varnish  colors  has  been  intro- 
duced with  splendid  effect ; birds,  with  a gorgeous  array 
of  brilliant  plumage,  contributing  to  make  the  style  attrac- 
tive. An  impetus  was  given  to  papier  mache  manufac- 
turers as  a good  remunerative  trade ; the  ornamental 
department  had  to  keep  pace  with  it ; superior  artistic 
talent  was  called  for,  and  in  this  splendid  and  superb 
work  the  artist  had  another  avenue  opened  for  his 
skill.  A new  style  of  bronze  painting,  with  landscape 
designs,  was  introduced,  and  combination  designs  of  land- 
scape, flowers,  and  birds  soon  found  their  way  to  the 
public  eye.  Papier  mache,  (when  well  made,)  being  a 
compact,  unyielding  body,  capable  of  being  wrought  by 
skillful  workmen  into  a variety  of  useful  and  ornamental 
articles,  soon  found  its  way  into  general  favor,  until 
it  may  be  said  that  no  boudoir  or  drawing  room  is 
fashionably  furnished  without  papier  mache  holding  a 
perspicuous  situation,  to  reflect  the  taste  of  the  pro- 
prietor. 

We  do  not  intend  to  give  a minute  description  of  the 


PAPIER  MACHE. 


193 


method  of  manufacture  — it  would  be  foreign  to  our 
purpose  ; but  as  we  are  to  write  pretty  fully  concern- 
ing the  ornamentation,  we  will  give  a theoretical  glance 
at  it.  There  are  two  ways  of  making  it ; one,  making 
it  with  sheets  of  paper ; the  other,  with  pulp,  as  the 
name  implies.  To  make  the  sheet,  absorbent  paper  is 
employed,  and  the  sheets  pasted  together  with  a paste  * 

composed  of  flour  and  glue,  upon  moulds  of  the  re- 
quired shape,  then  put  into  stoves,  or  hot  rooms,  as 
they  are  called,  heated  to  about  200°  Farenheit,  or  more; 
when  dry,  they  are  taken  from  the  moulds  and  steeped 
in  oil,  and  allowed  to  absorb  as  much  as  they  will  take, 
and  put  again  into  the  hot  room  ; let  them  remain  there 
until  perfectly  dry  ; then  the  fabric  is  ready  to  be  dressed , 
as  the  technical  term  is  — in  other  words,  it  is  worked  by 
cabinet  makers  like  wood,  and  wrought  into  the  required 
shapes  ; then  coated  with  black  varnish,  or  varnish  paint, 
the  color  desired ; hardened  again  in  a hot  room  of  about 
150°  Fahrenheit,  then  rubbed  smooth  with  pumice  sand 
and  polished  with  rottenstone.  In  the  other  way,  the 
paper  is  reduced  to  a pulp  with  water  ; the  water 
strained  from  it  when  the  paper  is  sufficiently  soft,  and 

paste  and  glue  mixed  with  it;  the  pulp  is  then  ready 
17 


194 


PAPIER  MACHE. 


to  put  into  moulds,  with  great  pressure,  hardened,  and 
finished  off  in  various  ways. 

The  flower  painting  on  papier  mache  is  frequently  called  enamel 
painting.  The  style  of  painting  when  acquired  can  as  readily  he 
painted  on  prepared  w'ood,  iron,  tin,  paper,  etc.,  as  papier  mache. 
The  colors  to  be  used  are  precisely  the  same  as  those  enumerated 
for  the  Oriental , and  are  mixed  in  the  same  way.  To  com- 
mence a painting,  make  a correct  outline  of  the  picture  on 
thin  white  paper,  rub  some  of  your  white  powder  all  over  the 
back  of  it,  and  trace  the  design  on  your  picture  with  the  end  of 
one  of  your  pencil  sticks  cut  to  a sharp  point ; when  you  have 
carefully  traced  in  all  the  design,  remove  the  paper,  and  you  have 
your  picture  drawn  out,  transferred,  as  it  were.  Now,  with  your 
white  mixed  according  to  directions  in  another  page,  coat  over  all 
the  flowers  (retaining  the  shape)  thinly  with  white,  and  by  the 
time  you  have  finished  the  last  one  the  first  will  be  dry  enough  for 
another  coat.  Each  flower  should  have  three  coats  of  white  to 
make  it  solid.  The  flowers  that  are  intended  for  yellow  should 
now  be  coated  over  once  entirely  with  chrome  yellow,  and  the 
scarlet  flowers  once  over  with  the  opaque  scarlet ; the  leaves 
must  next  be  penciled  in  with  opaque  green  made  with  chrome 
yellow,  a little  -white,  and  some  Prussian  blue  ; go  over  the 
whole  with  a middle  tint  first  ; then  use  more  white  and  yel- 
low', and  put  on  some  lighter  tints  where  you  wish  the  lights  to  be. 
For  stems  and  fine  wrork  use  the  same  colors.  Transparent  colors 
are  next  to  be  ready,  and  it  is  better  in  this  stage  of  the  painting 
to  allow  a day  to  intervene  before  proceeding  further.  Paint  pink 
roses  and  geraniums  with  rose  pink ; the  darker  shades  with 
crimson  lake ; dark  red  flowers  with  crimson  lake  ; for  darker 
shades,  use  a little  blue  with  the  crimson  lake.  For  blue  flowrers 


PAPIER  MACHE. 


195 


use  light  blue  in  the  light  shades,  and  finish  the  darker  parts  by 
adding  a little  of  the  Prussian  blue ; for  delicate  purple  flowers 
use  rose  pink  and  a little  light  blue  ; for  stronger  and  darker  pim- 
ples, use  crimson  lake  and  Prussian  blue  ; for  yellow  flowers,  use 
a pale  shade  of  burnt  sienna  ; for  scarlet,  use  crimson  lake  in 
different  degrees  of  strength  ; for  the  darker  shades  it  will  be 
requisite  to  use  the  full  strength  of  the  crimson  lake,  and  for 
still  darker  add  the  least  touch  of  blue  ; white  flowers  must  be 
shaded  delicately  with  neutral  tint  made  of  yellow  lake,  crimson 
lake,  and  blue,  weakened  very  much  with  varnish ; or  another  neu- 
tral is  made  with  Vandyke  brown  and  light  blue,  likewise  weak- 
ened very  much  with  varnish.  The  shades  of  all  the  flowers  must 
be  repeated  until  finished  to  suit  the  eye.  The  green  leaves  come 
next.  They  are  coated  over  partially  with  transparent  green  made 
with  yellow  lake  and  Prussian  blue ; the  shades  are  varied  and 
repeated  according  to  the  tints  required.  If  a yellowish  green, 
the  yellow  lake  must  predominate ; if  a cooler  and  bluer  green,  use 
a little  more  blue ; for  autumnal  leaves,  or  withered  ones,  use  burnt 
sienna  and  a little  crimson  lake,  and  a little  yellow  lake  if  requi- 
site. Some  few  darker  shades  will  be  required  on  some  parts  of 
the  leaves,  especially  those  that  are  underneath  the  flowers.  To 
obtain  this,  use  a little  Vandyke  brown  and  Prussian  blue.  The 
leaves  are  now  ready  for  the  veins  ; do  these  with  Vandyke  brown 
and  a little  crimson  lake  with  it ; the  stamens  to  the  flowers  are 
painted  in  with  the  same  color ; the  anthers  do  in  with  chrome 
yellow,  and  dot  them  with  burnt  sienna ; the  green  leaves  are 
finished  by  touching  the  veins  with  a faint  outline,  here  and  there, 
with  chrome  yellowr  against  the  veins  already  on.  The  flowers 
are  all  finished  with  this  exception ; some  of  them,  especially 
the  pink  ones,  may  wrant  a slight  tinge  of  neutral  (very  pale) 
just  against  the  edges,  to  soften  them  a little ; and  a little  white, 


196 


PAPIER  MACHE. 


weakened  with  varnish,  may  be  used  to  advantage  just  at  the 
edges  of  flowers ; it  materially  helps  to  break  any  little  abrupt- 
ness or  harshness. 

The  painting  is  now  finished,  and  should  remain  a week  or  more 
to  dry  before  varnishing.  The  two  sized  brushes  used  for  this 
kind  of  painting  are  a crow  quill  with  the  hair  about  five  eighths 
of  an  inch  long,  and  a duck  quill  about  half  an  inch  long. 

To  succeed  well  in  Enamel  painting , we  would  advise  the  pupil 
to  practice  with  the  brush  and  indian  ink,  the  following  figures. 


In  making  the  first  figure,  you  press  the  brush  on  your  paper, 
draw  it  along  a little  gradually,  decreasing  the  pressure  until  it 
terminates  in  a fine  point;  a few  pages  should  be  carefully  made 


PAPIER  MACHE. 


197 


of  that  one  figure.  The  second  is  produced  in  the  same  manner, 
with  one  inclining  to  the  right  and  one  to  the  left ; make  at  least 
a page  of  these.  The  third  figure  is  made  of  the  same  marks 
repeated,  and  brought  close  to  each  other.  The  fourth  is  the 


same.  The  fifth  is  the  third  and  fourth  combined,  and  is  the  way 
to  form  leaves.  The  sixth  commences  with  the  brush  just  touch- 
ing, then  gradually  pressing  down  a little,  and  tapering  off  again 
with  light  pressure.  The  seventh  is  the  same  but  very  small. 
These  figures,  when  well  practiced,  greatly  facilitate  the  free  ma- 
17* 


198 


PAPIER  MACHE. 


nipulation  of  all  the  first  coating  of  Enamel  painting.  They  can 
be  practiced  with  India  ink,  or  any  common  paints,  as  the 
object  is  simply  to  train  the  hand.  The  brush  should  be  held 
nearly  upright  ; by  so  doing  you  have  more  command  than 
when  it  is  at  an  angle  suitable  for  writing.  A variety  of  forms 
will  suggest  themselves  to  the  artist. 

Bronzing. 

O prepare  paper  board  for  bronz- 


sticky ; then  apply  the  powder  bronze  with  a dry,  soft  brush. 

To  bronze  metal  plates,  papier  mache,  and  prepared  wood  boards : 
Have  a smooth  surface,  coat  it  evenly,  thoroughly,  and  thinly  with 
gold  size,  using  a flat  camel’s  hair  brush,  (be  sure  it  is  clean 
and  free  from  dust,)  and  be  careful  to  cover  every  part.  Allow 
it  to  dry  until  it  feels  sticky  ; then  apply  the  bronzes  with  a soft 
and  dry  camel’s  hair  brush.  When  you  have  covered  it  with 
bronze,  by  warming  the  article,  and  applying  more  bronze  while 
it  is  warm,  the  bronze  can  be  made  much  more  solid,  as  warm- 
ing brings  back  the  sticky  property  of  the  gold  size,  and  causes 
more  bronze  to  adhere  to  it. 


ing:  Coat  it  over  with  a strong 
solution  of  size  made  by  dis- 
solving isinglass  in  hot  water ; 
strain  it,  and  coat  over  the 
paper  with  a flat  camel’s  hair 
brush  while  the  size  is  warm. 

When  it  is  dry,  coat  it  over 
thinly  and  evenly  with  gold 
size ; let  it  remain  until  it  feels 


PAPIER  MACHE. 


199 


Bronze  Painting. 

BOCEED  to  bronze  according  to 
the  directions  under  the  head  of 
Bronzing,  only  you  can  introduce 
a variety  of  shades  of  bronze,  if 
you  wish.  We  invariably  use 
three,  if  not  more,  viz.,  pale, 
blush,  and  white.  Blend  them 
together  to  suit  your  subject,  and 
allow  a couple  of  days  to  elapse 
before  commencing  to  paint,  so 
that  it  may  dry.  We  will  suppose  it  is  a landscape,  with  moun- 
tains in  the  distance,  water  mid- distance,  and  foliage  and  building 
and  figures  in  the  foreground.  Make  a correct  drawing  of  what 
you  want,  on  thin  white  paper,  rub  some  white  on  the  back  of  it, 
fit  it  upon  your  picture,  and  mark  over  with  the  sharp  end  of  a 
pencil  stick,  pressing  on  very  lightly  ; after  all  is  drawn  in,  remove 
your  sketch,  and  faintly  mark  over  the  lines  with  a lead  pencil. 
If  you  are  copying  from  an  engraving,  observe  on  what  part  of  the 
building  the  light  strikes,  and  select  those  parts  for  gold,  coating 
them  over  with  gold  size,  and  putting  on  the  leaf  gold  when  suf- 
ficiently dry,  (according  to  the  directions  already  given.)  If  there 
are  any  parts  of  your  figure  (such  as  rich  dresses)  which  you  want 
rich  color,  do  them  at  the  same  time  with  gold.  The  painting  must 
now  be  wiped  with  a clean  silk  handkerchief,  to  remove  all  the 
bits  of  gold  and  dust ; and  supposing  that  the  thimble  palette  is 
ready,  with  all  the  colors  mixed,  according  to  the  directions 
previously  given,  we  first  mix  a pale  tint  of  purple,  made  with 
Prussian  blue  and  a little  crimson  lake,  and  pencil  over  the  moun- 


200 


PAPIER  MACHE. 


tains  evenly,  then  go  over  the  water  with  a very  pale  shade  of 
blue.  After  coating  the  mountains  and  water  once,  it  is  better 
not  to  touch  them  again  until  they  are  dry.  Now  paint  in  the 
foliage,  making  the  tints  with  yellow  lake  and  Prussian  blue  ; if 
you  want  them  bright,  for  the  different  shades  add  burnt  sienna,  or 
Yandyke  brown,  or  both,  as  your  tints  require.  Stems  of  trees 
are  mostly  done  with  Vandyke  brown,  and  other  tints  added  to 
suit  the  eye  ; faces  of  figures  do  with  white  and  a little  sienna 
mixed  together ; white  drapery  coat  over  with  white,  scarlet  with 
scarlet,  and  yellow  with  chrome  yellow  ; all  other  parts  of  figures 
with  white,  except  the  parts  you  have  already  gilded.  This  will 
suffice  for  the  first  painting.  The  second  shade  upon  the  moun- 
tains is  made  with  a neutral  composed  of  the  three  primitive  colors, 
viz.,  crimson  lake,  yellow  lake,  and  Prussian  blue.  The  tone  that 
you  desire  must  predominate4  in  making  all  your  neutrals  ; for 
instance,  if  you  want  a bluish  neutral,  the  blue  must  predominate  ; 
if  you  want  a greenish,  the  yellow  lake  must  predominate ; and 
if  reddish  neutral,  let  the  crimson  lake  predominate.  Having 
selected  your  shade,  be  sure  to  have  it  about  the  right  strength 
before  beginning,  as  it  is  difficult  to  avoid  a patched  appearance  on 
the  mountains  with  varnish  color,  especially  on  the  second  and 
third  coating,  unless  you  are  quick  in  your  movements.  If  the 
water  requires  more  color,  paint  it  in  the  darker  places,  then 
repeat  the  shades  on  the  foliage  where  it  is  requisite.  Your  figures 
now  claim  some  attention.  Any  part  you  want  crimson,  paint 
over  gold  with  crimson  lake,  and  you  have  a splendid  color ; 
repeat  it  when  a little  dry,  if  you  wish  it  darker,  and  for  the 
shades  add  a little  blue  with  your  crimson  lake.  Blue  dresses 
paint  with  a pale  shade  of  Prussian  blue  on  white  or  pale  gold  ; 
for  the  shades,  paint  in  with  a little  stronger  Prussian  blue. 
(Please  bear  in  mind,  when  you  wish  a pale  shade  of  any  of  these 


PAPIER  MACHE. 


201 


colors,  especially  mountains,  to  add  varnish ; and  when  you  want 
to  thin  it,  use  turpentine.  We  call  attention  to  this,  because  it  is 
rather  difficult  to  manage  varnish  colors  at  first,  owing  to  their 
drying  up  so  rapidly ; but  by  a little  practice  you  soon  find  out  that 
if  worked  with  proper  consistency  the  process  is  not  difficult.) 
Green  dress,  writh  yellow  lake  and  Prussian  blue  on  pale  gold  or 
white;  purple  dresses,  with  crimson  lake  and  a little  Prussian 
blue  on  white  or  pale  gold.  Any  part  of  the  figure  you  do  with 
scarlet,  shade  it  with  crimson  lake ; yellows  shade  with  burnt 
sienna,  pale  shade.  Paces  : paint  the  features  in  with  Vandyke 
brown,  and  different  tints  with  yellow  lake,  crimson  lake,  and 
sienna,  paled  down,  and  repeated  to  suit  the  eye.  Parts  of  the 
mountains  may  require  a third  and  fourth  wash  ; if  so,  attend  to 
them  with  the  neutrals  named  above.  Sometimes  we  highten  the 
effect  of  the  near  foliage  by  touching  the  edges  with  a little  opaque 
color  made  of  chrome  yellow,  white,  and  a little  blue.  It  must  be 
done  very  carefully,  as  opaque  colors  are  powerful,  compared 
with  transparent  ones.  If  what  you  do  shows  too  abruptly,  you 
have  a remedy  by  putting  on  a little  more  of  the  transparent  color. 
Parts  of  the  figures  may  be  hightened  by  a touch  here  and  there 
of  opaque  color,  and  the  faces  are  almost  sure  to  want  a little 
retouching  with  opaque.  When  your  painting  is  all  finished,  a 
full  week  should  intervene  before  varnishing  ; and  great  care  must 
be  observed  not  to  touch  the  bronze,  as  the  hand  or  fingers  inva- 
riably leave  a stain,  bronze  being  so  delicate. 

Varnishing.  — In  varnishing  papier  mache  paintings,  care  must 
be  taken  to  have  a clean  brush,  and  your  painting  must  be  wiped 
with  a silk  handkerchief  to  free  it  from  dust.  Lay  the  painting 
flat,  and  with  a one-inch  flat  camel’s  hair  brush  coat  over  with 
copal  varnish  as  evenly  as  possible,  being  careful  to  cover  every 
part ; leave  it  flat  down,  as  it  is,  for  a couple  of  hours  or  more, 


202 


PAPIER  MACHE. 


before  removing,  or  the  varnish  is  liable  to  run  in  streaks.  Once 
varnishing  is  quite  sufficient  to  preserve  the  painting ; but  if  you 
wish  to  polish  it,  another  coat  of  varnish  must  be  given,  allowing  a 
week  between  ; then  after  another  week,  it  should  be  rubbed  with 
pumice  sand  and  water,  in  the  following  manner  : — 

How  to  polish.  — Get  a piece  of  woolen,  put  it  over  some 
cotton,  to  make  a rubber  of  it ; wet  the  rubber  with  water  pretty 
thoroughly,  dip  it  into  some  fine  pumice  sand,  and  rub  it  back- 
wards and  forwards  on  your  varnished  picture  carefully  with  a 
moderate  pressure.  After  you  have  rubbed  a short  time,  wipe 
the  sand  from  a part  of  it,  to  see  the  progress.  If  not  sufficiently 
smooth,  rub  a little  more,  care  being  taken  not  to  rub  through  the 
varnish,  or  you  will  rub  the  paint.  When  it  is  pretty  smooth, 
wash  all  the  sand  off,  wipe  it  perfectly  dry,  and  give  it  another 
coat  of  varnish,  allowing  the  same  time  for  it  to  dry ; then  rub 
again  as  before  with  water  and  pumice  sand.  When  smooth 
enough,  wash  off  all  the  sand,  and  proceed  to  polish  with  very 
finely  powdered  rottenstone,  and  a rubber  made  of  soft  satin  or 
silk.  Saturate  this  with  water,  and  rub  with  the  rottenstone  for 
a little  time,  until  it  shines  ; then  wash  it  all  off.  You  can  make  it 
shine  more  by  rubbing  it  with  your  hand,  using  a few  touches  of 
sweet  oil  and  a little  more  rottenstone. 

How  to  prepa.he  Wood.  — When  wood  is  used  for  painting 
any  of  the  papier  mache  styles,  it  is  better  to  choose  the  closest 
grain,  and  proceed  to  coat  it  over  several  times  with  paint  (either 
oil  paint  or  varnish  paint),  rubbing  down  with  pumice  sand  and 
water  after  the  third  coat.  The  number  of  coats  taken  to  prepare 
varies  according  to  the  texture  of  the  wood,  as  it  is  necessary  to 
coat  it  over  until  it  is  perfectly  smooth  and  level.  Proper  time 
should  be  allowed  between  each  coat  of  paint,  so  that  it  may 
dry  hard. 


PAPIER  MACHE. 


208 


Enamel  painting  looks  very  well  painted  on  a bronze  ground, 
and  suits  admirably  for  tables,  chairs,  and  other  furniture. 

Glass  vases  have  a rich  effect  bronzed  all  over  or  partially  ; 
perhaps  an  oval  or  a round,  front  and  back ; and  if  you  wish  to 
paint  upon  it,  proceed  exactly  in  the  same  way  as  directed  for 
enamel  painting  or  bronze  painting. 

Chinese  Raising.  — Trace  the  design  in  the  same  way  as  in  the 
directions  for  tracing  designs  for  enamel  painting.  The  raising 
composition  is  made  of  two  parts  of  white  lead,  one  part  of 
litharge,  and  one  part  of  umber,  and  mixed  with  gold  size  and  a 
little  varnish,  into  a paste,  and  thinned  with  turpentine.  Put  on 
your  raising,  when  mixed,  with  a small  brush,  being  careful  to 
float  it  on  evenly.  When  you  have  raised  all  the  parts  you  wish 
in  your  design,  let  it  remain  flat  till  the  next  day.  Repeat  the  same 
until  you  get  the  parts  raised  as  high  as  you  wish.  When  all  the 
raising  is  done,  three  or  four  days  should  be  allowed  for  it  to  dry 
and  harden,  (a  moderate  heat  of  the  fire  will  facilitate  the  drying  ;) 
coat  over  the  raised  parts  with  gold  size,  and  proceed  with  the 
gilding  according  to  the  directions  for  gilding.  Two  sorts  of  leaf 
gold  are  generally  introduced  — pale  and  dark  — so  the  picture 
will  require  two  separate  sizings  ; next,  size  with  clear  gold  size 
all  the  ground  and  mountains,  (supposing  your  subject  to  be  a 
regular  Chinese  design,)  and  when  dry  enough,  shade  on  some 
powdered  bronze  with  a dry  brush.  Fine  leaves  and  small  trees 
can  be  introduced  with  opaque  green  made  with  chrome  yellow 
and  Prussian  blue,  and  little  flowers  painted  in  with  white  and 
stained  with  red,  blue,  or  yellow.  The  gold  can  be  etched  with 
black  and  shaded  a little  with  neutral  black.  The  bronze  ground 
stain  with  transparent  green  and  a little  sienna ; afterward  intro- 
duce a few  gold  spangles,  (put  them  on  with  varnish ;)  this  makes 
the  ground  look  sparkling,  and  adds  greatly  to  the  finish  of  it. 


204 


PAPIER  MACHE. 


When  quite  finished,  let  it  dry  a week  before  varnishing : there 
is  no  occasion  to  varnish  all  over  your  picture,  but  only  the  part 
that  is  painted. 

Pearling.  — Prepare  the  design,  marking  all  the  parts  you  wish 
to  have  pearl.  Trace  the  design  upon  the  article,  — we  will  sup- 
pose it  to  be  a small  table,  — same  as  tracing  for  enamel,  before 
explained.  Remove  your  drawing,  and  place  on  all  your  pearl. 
See  how  it  looks.  If  satisfactory,  get  some  spirit  varnish  and  a 
small  camel’s  hair  brush.  Remove  one  piece  of  pearl  at  a time,  put 
some  of  the  varnish  in  the  place  with  the  small  brush,  and  fit  on  the 
pearl,  pressing  it  down  so  as  to  lie  flat.  Go  through  with  all  the 
pearl  in  the  same  way  ; some  of  the  large  pieces  may  want  a weight 
put  on  to  keep  them  flat.  Next  day  give  it  a coat  all  over  with 
black  varnish  made  with  the  spirit  varnish  and  lampblack.  Repeat 
the  coat  (a  flat  camel’s  hair  brush  is  best  for  varnishing)  twice  a 
day  for  the  first  three  or  four  days.  W7hen  the  pearl  seems  pretty 
nearly  even  with  the  black,  scrape  all  the  black  off  the  pearl  by 
means  of  a chisel  or  knife,  being  careful  not  to  remove  any  of  the 
black  any  where  else  by  letting  the  knife  or  chisel  slip.  When 
all  is  scraped  off,  you  can  commence  coating  it  over  again.  This 
time  add  a little  Prussian  blue  with  your  black  varnish : it  makes  a 
more  brilliant  black.  (The  proportions  are,  to  one  pint  of  spirit 
varnish  add  one  and  a half  ounces  of  lampblack  and  half  an  ounce 
of  Prussian  blue.)  Coat  it  three  or  four  times  over  if  it  requires 
it ; then  scrape  off  the  black  from  the  pearl  again.  If  it  seems 
pretty  level,  we  will  proceed  with  the  next  process ; (if  not,  coat 
again  as  before,  and  scrape.)  Get  some  stout  broadcloth,  and  make 
a good  substantial  rubber  by  stuffing  in  some  soft  cotton  ; tie  it 
round,  so  that  you  can  handle  it  conveniently ; put  some  turpentine 
in  a saucer  with  some  pumice  sand,  and  charge  your  rubber  well 
with  this,  and  rub  away  till  you  get  a smooth  surface  all  over. 


PAPIER  MACHE. 


205 


When  smooth  enough,  wash  the  sand  all  off  with  turpentine ; then 
rub  it  with  rottenstone  and  water,  using  this  time  a rubber  made 
of  silk  or  satin  ; this  rids  it  of  all  sticky  property  that  remains  frpm 
the  turpentine  rubbing.  Y ou  have  now  got  through  the  troublesome 
part  of  it ; getting  rid  of  every  thing  in  the  shape  of  black  varnish 
specs,  you  are  ready  for  the  next  step.  If  you  wish  to  have 
some  leaf  gold  introduced,  make  your  selection  of  what  you  will 
have,  and  prepare  a little  gold  size  by  mixing  in  a little  chrome  yel- 
low, so  as  to  enable  you  to  see  better  what  you  are  about.  Coat 
over  the  leaves  or  stems,  or  both,  with  the  gold  size,  and  proceed 
with  the  gilding  according  to  the  directions  for  gilding.  If  any 
more  flowers  are  in  your  group  than  what  are  pearl,  it  is  requisite 
to  coat  them  over  with  white,  proceeding  exactly  in  the  same  way  as 
in  the  directions  laid  down  under  the  head  of  Enamel  Painting.  The 
pearl  flowers  you  shade  with  their  respective  colors,  so  as  not  to 
cover  up  too  much  pearl.  For  instance,  if  you  want  to  shade  a 
rose,  do  it  with  crimson  lake  on  the  shade  side  of  the  flower,  leav- 
ing the  pure  pearl  to  answer  for  the  lights.  When  your  painting  is 
all  finished,  you  allow  sufficient  time  for  it  to  dry,  and  proceed  with 
the  varnishing  precisely  as  in  enamel  work  and  bronzing. 

Gilding  on  Satin,  Paper,  Cloth,  Light-colored,  Unpre- 
pared Woods,  etc.  — Sometimes  gilding  is  required  upon  only 
small  parts  of  articles.  In  such  cases  use  strong  isinglass  solution, 
made  according  to  the  directions  written  before  — the  purer  the 
better.  Take  a small  camel’s  hair  brush,  and  coat  over  with  the 
isinglass  size,  while  it  is  warm,  the  places  you  wish  to  gild.  When 
dry,  proceed  with  your  gold  size,  same  as  the  gold  size  gilding. 
The  reason  of  applying  the  isinglass  size  is  to  satisfy  the  porous 
nature  of  the  fabric,  and  make  a delicate  kind  of  crust  as  a founda- 
tion for  the  gold  size.  If  you  wish  to  paint  flags  and  banners  with 
oil  paint,  you  must  coat  over  the  parts  first  with  isinglass  size. 

18 


206 


PAPIER  MACHE. 


Gilding. 


NY  part  you  wish  to  have  leaf 
gold  it  is  requisite  to  cover 
evenly  with  gold  size,  (a  little 
chrome  yellow  or  white  lead 
may  be  mixed  in  with  the  gold 
size  merely  to  enable  you  to  see 
the  process,)  and  allow  it  to 
dry  until  it  feels  a little  sticky; 
it  can  remain  much  longer  than 
for  bronzing,  as  leaf  gold  does 
not  require  so  strong  a sticky  property  as  bronze.  When  suffi- 
ciently dry,  put  on  the  gold  by  means  of  the  tip,  as  described  in 
glass  gilding ; or,  if  you  are  expert  enough,  put  it  on  with  your 
fingers  from  the  gold  book.  Be  careful  to  cover  every  part  of 
the  gold  size  with  smooth  leaf  gold,  and  when  all  covered,  press 
gently  with  a piece  of  soft  chamois  leather  on  all  the  gilded  parts, 
and  remove  the  superfluous  gold.  If  these  directions  are  strictly 
followed,  you  can  not  fail  to  have  good  smooth  gilding  ; but  if  the 
gold  size  is  put  on  thick  and  uneven,  and  the  leaf  gold  put  on  too 
soon,  the  gold  will  look  rough  and  dark,  and  be  very  unsatisfactory 
to  the  eye  when  you  get  more  experienced. 


Meatier  Mark. 


(207) 


and  can  be  used  for  a great  variety  of 
useful  and  ornamental  purposes. 

We  have  adopted  the  following  method  with  suc- 
cess : — 

Select  a soft  sheep  skin  rather  thick  ; cut  from  it  flowers  and 
leaves  to  suit  your  fancy.  It  is  well  to  have  pasteboard  patterns 
free  from  blemishes  and  neatly  cut,  and  with  these  it  will  be  easy  to 
cut  from  the  leather.  Due  attention  should  be  given  to  different 
18*  (209) 


210 


LEATHER  WORK. 


sizes  and  kinds.  When  you  have  a sufficient  number  cut  from  the 
leather,  wet  them  in  cold  water,  and  squeeze  them  dry,  and  pull 
them  into  shape,  and  form  the  leaves  and  flowers  to  suit  your  taste ; 
while  wet,  put  them  into  the  oven  to  dry.  Make  a solution  of 
vinegar  and  Venetian  red,  and  dip  them  into  it.  When  perfectly 
dry,  dip  them  in  thin  black  varnish  ; if  the  varnish  be  too  thick, 
dilute  it  with  spirits  of  turpentine.  When  dry,  they  will  have  the 
color  of  rosewood. 

Take  gum  shellac,  and  the  night  before  you  wish  to  use  it,  pour 
on  sufficient  alcohol  to  dissolve  it.  Dip  the  flowers  and  leaves  into 
this  solution,  taking  care  not  to  have  it  too  thick.  If  not  stiff 
enough,  dip  them  a second  time.  Put  them  on  a board  to  dry  in 
the  sun , as  the  drying  by  a fire  will  have  a tendency  to  make  them 
sticky. 

Paint  your  frame,  or  whatever  is  to  be  covered,  with  Venetian 
red  and  vinegar,  and  when  dry,  rub  it  smooth.  Varnish  with  thin 
black  varnish,  and  when  dry,  nail  on  the  leaves  and  flowers  with 
small  tacks,  and  paint  with  a solution  of  shellac  dissolved  in  al- 
cohol ; finally,  varnish  with  the  best  copal  varnish. 

Again,  for  general  purposes,  basil  leather  is  good.  Select  that  of 
an  even  texture  and  light  color. 

The  skiver  leather  is  used  for  grapes,  small  leaves,  and  delicate 
work.  (The  artist  will  find  that  the  sheep  skin,  easily  to  be  had, 
will  answer  all  purposes,  by  using  discretion  in  selecting  the  thick, 
soft,  or  thin  portions,  as  the  work  may  require.)  Place  a piece 
of  the  basil  leather  in  water  for  a moment ; press  it  in  a linen 
cloth  until  the  surface  dries.  While  damp,  cut  out  your  leaf  with 
scissors  or  a leather-cutting  knife.  Pasteboard  patterns  can  easily 
be  made  from  natural  leaves.  By  laying  these  patterns  upon  the 
leather,  the  leaves  can  be  readily  cut. 

Vein  with  a pointed  instrument,  by  marking  on  the  smooth  side 


LEATHER  WORK. 


211 


of  the  leather  ; then  bend  and  mold  your  leaves  as  you  wish 
them  to  appear  when  the  work  is  completed.  Dry  them  quickly  to 
harden  them. 

When  thoroughly  dry,  brush  all  over  with  prepared  stiffening, 
which  is  sold  in  convenient  sized  bottles.  After  this  process,  brush 
the  leaves  all  over  with  black  varnish  ; two  thin  coats  are  sufficient. 

For  stems,  take  strips  of  basil  leather,  wet  and  roll  with  the  hand 
upon  the  table,  or  over  a wire. 

For  tendrils,  wind  the  leather,  while  wet,  around  a small  round 
stick  or  tool,  fastening  the  ends ; dry  quickly  by  the  fire ; remove 
from  the  stick,  and  apply  a coat  of  stiffening ; the  finish  is  the  same 
as  for  leaves. 

Grapes  are  very  handsome  in  this  work.  They  are  made  by  tying 
bits  of  cotton  or  wadding,  peas,  marbles,  etc.,  into  the  leather  with 
strong  thread,  then  putting  a piece  of  wire  through  the  part  which 
has  been  tied  up  for  the  stalk.  Stain  and  make  into  clusters,  taking 
care  to  conceal  the  part  tied.  All  fruits  and  flowers  are  stained, 
etc.,  precisely  in  the  same  manner  as  leaves. 

The  Frame.  — Have  a frame  made  of  well-seasoned  wood,  writh 
the  outer  edge  thinner  than  the  inner,  though  this  is  a matter  of 
taste.  Size  it  all  over.  Let  it  dry 
for  an  hour  or  so.  Then  apply  a 
coating  of  oak  varnish  stain  ; when 
dry,  it  will  be  ready  for  use.  Com- 
mence by  attaching  the  stem  with 
small  tacks.  Suppose  you  have  a 
vine  ; cover  the  wood  with  the  foli- 
age as  naturally  as  possible.  Fasten 
with  strong  glue,  where  necessary. 

A narrow  gold  beading  gives  a fin- 
ished appearance  to  a frame. 


212 


LEATHER  WORK. 


It  is  impossible  in  our  limited  space  to  particularize  the  various 
articles  for  which  leather  work  is  adapted ; but  every  individual  of 
fertile  imagination  and  ingenuity  will  readily  perceive  the  uses  to 
which  this  art  can  be  applied.  We  give  a pretty  design  for  a 
watchstand. 


In  making  flowers,  cut  in  one  piece  wherever  you  can  ; the 
white  lily,  for  instance,  where  the  petals  may  be  squeezed  up  and 


glued  to  keep  them  in  place.  It  is  always  preferable  to  have 
a natural  flower  to  look  at.  A little  ingenuity  will  enable  the 


LEATHER  WORK. 


213 


learner  to  cut  the  leather  to  ad- 
vantage, and  the  fewer  the  pieces 
used,  the  simpler  the  work  will 
be. 

The  bud  of  the  white  lily  is 
made  by  folding  the  whole  corolla 
close  together. 

A convolvulus  may  be  made  by 
folding  and  stretching  the  leather, 
while  wet,  over  the  tool  used  to 
make  the  wax  convolvulus.  It 
is  very  pretty,  and  not  difficult  to 
make. 

Roses , camellias , etc.,  can  all  be 
made  handsomely  by  a little  care 
and  ingenuity. 

Do  not  forget  our  favorite  the 
hop  vine.  To  make  it,  wind  a 
piece  of  leather  around  the  end 
of  a wire ; fasten  well.  Mold 
the  requisite  number  of  petals  in 
a convex  form,  and  glue  separately 
around  this  center. 


v*ypf 

The  Fuschia.  — The  calyx  forms  the  external  part  of  this  flower, 
and  is  made  with  one  piece  of  leather  cut  as  in  the  figure.  The 
petals  within  this  are  four,  and  are  cut  out,  the  four  in  one  piece, 
in  the  form  of  the  dotted  line.  They  must  be  molded  into  shape, 
and  glued  to  the  stamina  inside  the  calyx,  so  as  to  alternate  with 
its  petals.  This  flower  has  nine  stamina,  and  they  are  cut  in  one 
piece  of  leather.  To  put  the  fuschia  together  : Cut  the  nine 
stamina,  and  attach  to  them  the  wire,  to  form  the  stalk ; then 


214 


LEATHER  WORK. 


roll  the  four  petals  firmly  over  the  stamina  ; they  must  be  molded 
and  glued  round  the  stamina  and  stalk,  then  take  the  calyx  and 
roll  round  the  whole  ; the  leaves  must  be  ex- 
panded and  molded  as  in  the  diagram,  taking 
care  that  the  stamina  are  left  out,  as  in  the  nat- 
ural flower,  and  that  the  inner  petals  alternate 
with  the  leaves  of  the  calyx  ; to  make  the  buds, 
roll  up  the  calyx,  and  turn  the  ends  in,  not  in- 
serting any  stamina. 

The  Passion  Flower  is  composed,  in  leather, 
of  five  pieces.  Then  cut  out  the  corolla  of 
five  petals  with  the  rounded  ends;  cut  also 
a circular  piece  for  the  nectary,  which  must 
be  cut  all  round  with  the  knife  to  form 
the  radii,  the  center  having  many  small  cuts 
radiating  from  the  central  point ; when  turned 
upward,  in  putting  it  in  its  place,  it  forms  the 
fringe-like  appearance  around  the  pistil  seen  in  the  flowers. 


The  passion  flower  has  five  stamina,  with  ladle-shaped  ends,  or 
anthers,  and  three  stigmas  a little  elevated  above,  and  turning  over 


LEATHER  WORK. 


215 


the  stamina ; the  anthers  and  stigmas  are  made  of  one  piece 
of  leather.  The  involucrum  is  formed  also  of  one  piece,  and 
the  three  leaves  are  laid  one  over  the  other,  as  in  the  annexed 
flower. 

To  put  together  the  various 
parts  above  described  and  form 
the  passion  flower,  begin  by 
doubling  a piece  of  wire  over 
the  angles  of  the  stamina, 
twisting  it  underneath;  roll  a 
piece  of  skivev  leather  round 
the  wire  to  form  the  style  of 
the  pistil  and  the  stem  of  the 
whole  flower  ; then  turn  up  the 
three  stigmas  and  roll  a small 
piece  of  leather  round  them 
close  to  the  stamina,  and  turn 
them  over  ; this  being  done, 
place  the  nectary  on  the  stem,  taking  care  that  the  cut  portion 
:n  the  center  be  arranged  upward  around  the  pistil.  The  petals 
are  next  placed  on  the  stem,  followed  by  the  calyx ; the  leaves 
of  the  calyx  must  alternate  with  the  petals  ; liquid  glue  must 
be  inserted  between  each  portion  of  the  flower  to  give  it  firm- 
ness. 

The  involucrum,  which  is  a sort  of  calyx,  is  put  on  the  stem 
last,  a little  way  below  the  true  calyx ; we  may  just  add,  that 
all  the  leaves,  petals,  etc.,  with  the  exception  of  the  involucrum, 
must  have  the  smooth  side  of  the  leather  uppermost ; the  petals 
and  calyx  must  be  hollowed  out  with  the  modelling  tool  for  that 
purpose,  or  if  that  is  not  at  hand,  use  the  handle  of  the  veining 
tool,  and  laying  the  petals  and  also  the  calyx  on  a smooth  surface, 


216 


LEATHER  WORK. 


LEATHER  WORK. 


217 


rub  them  with  the  ivory  end  of  the  veining  tool  till  they  become 
hollow  and  smooth,  as  in  the  natural  flower. 

The  above  is  the  way,  as  plainly  as  we  can  possibly  describe  it, 
to  make  a passion  flower.  We  have  repeatedly  made  the  flower 
exactly  upon  the  above  plan,  and  it  has  always  been  much  admired. 

Camellias  vary  in  'the  form  of  leaves,  and  the  petals  vary  in 
number.  To  make  a camellia,  cut  out  two  pieces,  as  in  the  annexed 

diagram,  containing  four  petals 
in  each  ; then  cut  out  one  or  two 
larger  pieces,  with  six  petals  ki 
each,  and  one  or  more  still  larger, 
with  seven  or  eight  petals  ; then, 
having  a natural  camellia  at  hand, 
mould  them  all  into  form,  fasten 
all  the  pieces  of  leather  together, 
the  smallest  at  the  top,  and  the 
largest  at  the  bottom,  so  that  the  petals  alternate,  with  liquid  glue, 
and  put  a piece  of  wire  through  the  whole  for  the  stalk ; cover  it 
with  skiver  leather. 

To  make  the  Jessamine , copy  the  corolla  from  the  annexed 
design,  by  cutting  a star-like  piece  of  basil,  into  which  insert  the 
wire  for  the  stalk  as  closely  as  possible.  As  the 
stamina  are  not  visible  in  this  flower,  it  is  need- 
less to  make  them.  The  tube  upon  which  the 
corolla  rests  can  be  made  by  rolling  a piece  of 
leather  round  the  wire  thickest  at  the  flower, 
and  then  add  another  piece  of  leather  about  an 
inch  below  the  corolla,  which  must  have  five  fine- 
pointed  leaves  for  the  calyx. 

The  Daisy  is  formed  by  making  two  pieces  of 
leather  like  the  pattern,  one  larger  than  the  other,  and  putting 
19 


218 


LEATHER  WORK. 


the  wire,  for  stalk,  through  both  of  them.  The  lit- 
tle golden  center  of  the  daisy  can  be  well  imitated 
by  placing  a round  piece  of  leather,  rather  thick,  in 
the  center,  shaved  off  at  the  e'dges,  and  marked  with 
the  veining  tool  full  of  dots. 

A Wild  Rose  is  made  by  cutting  out  two  pieces 
of  leather,  exactly  as  in  the  engraving,  putting  the 
wire  through  two  holes  made  in  the  center  of  the 
pieces  with  a fine  brad-awl,  and  pa,ss  a piece  of  wire 
through  the  holes,  leaving  both  ends  of  the  wire  at 
the  back  to  be  twisted  for  the  stalk.  To  form  the  stamina,  cut  fine 

strips  of  leather  as  long  again  as 
the  stamina  are  required  to  be,  and 
insert  them  under  the  eye  of  the 
wire  which  forms  the  stalk ; then 
cut  the  stamina,  and  pinch  them 
up  into  form.  The  top  piece, 
containing  five  petals,  must  be 
molded  and  curved  upward,  in- 
losing the  stamina  ; the  bottom 
piece  also,  containing  five  petals,  must  be  molded  downward, 
curving  and  bending  them  into  form. 

To  make  a larger  rose,  cut  out  a smaller  piece  than  is  showm  in 
the  engraving,  of  the  same  form,  also  the  two  in  the  engraving, 
and  a larger  piece  of  the  same  form,  making  four  pieces,  containing 
twenty  petals  ; then  proceed  as  before  mentioned,  and  a fuller  rose 
is  produced ; thus  the  character  of  the  flower  and  the  number  of 
petals  can  be  regulated  with  comparative  ease. 

The  rose  leaves  can  be  molded  at  the  back  by  pressing  them 
into  the  grape  mold  with  one  of  the  pressing  tools. 

Oak  and  Ivy  Bracket.  — The  bracket  annexed  is  of  an  unu- 


LEATHER  WORK. 


219 


sually  pretty  pattern,  and  we  give  two  diagrams.  The  vine  and 
the  convolvulus  pattern  are  much  used,  with  very  beautiful  effect. 
We  intended  this  design  to  exhibit  old  oak.  It  should  be  stained 
very  dark,  the  oak  stems  being  very  thick,  while  the  stems  of 
ivy  can  be  formed  of  tendrils.  To  make  the  oak  stem,  get  very 


thick  wire,  and  have  it  cut  to  the  desired  lengths ; then  cover  the 
wires  with  leather,  and  bend  them  to  resemble  gnarled  oak; 
attach,  as  naturally  as  possible,  oak  leaves  and  acorns  at  the 
back  of  the  wires,  and  on  the  wood  work,  as  shown  in  the 
skeleton  bracket  in  a former  part  of  this  work  ; then  attach  the 
ivy  tendrils,  leaves,  and  berries  around  the  oak  stems,  and  the 
bracket  is  completed. 


220 


LEATHER  WORK. 


It  improves  the  appearance  of  any  piece  of  ornamental  work, 
to  give  the  whole  when  completed  a slight  coat  of  varnish. 

Card  Racks  can  be  made  in  a variety  of  ways.  The  design 
here  exhibited  is  novel,  and  at  the  same  time  very  useful.  The 
back  is  made  either  with  wood  or  calf-skin 
leather  ; and  the  leaves  forming  the  rack 
are  also  made  of  the  same  material.  Calf- 
skin dries  very  hard,  being  treated  exactly 
the  same  as  the  basil  leather  m the  manner 
of  working. 

The  Round  Open-work  Frame.  — The 
beautiful  design  on  the  opposite  page  is 
made  wi.h  a round  frame  of  any  width 
desired,  having  two  rebates,  one  inside  and 
one  outside  the  frame  — the  inside  rebate 
being  to  admit  the  picture,  and  the  outside 
one  to  allow  of  the  nailing  firmly  to  the 
frame  the  open-work,  which  is  to  be  made 
in  the  following  manner  : Take  a flat  board, 
— an  ironing  board  will  do,  — lay  the  frame  upon  it,  and  with  a 
black  lead  pencil  or  a piece  of  chalk,  mark  the  size  all  round, 
making  allowance  for  the  rebate ; then  having  ready  the  stems, 
work  them  in  and  out,  so  as  to  form  the  open-work  as  in  the 
drawing ; when  finished,  nail  it  to  the  frame,  and  work  stems  and 
tendrils  of  the  vine,  hop,  passion  flower,  or  any  other  beautiful 
creepmg  plant,  attaching  the  fruit  or  flowers  in  an  artistic  manner, 
and  the  result  will  be  one  of  the  most  elegant  frames  ever  beheld. 

The  open  or  trellis- work  of  this  frame  should  have  stout  wire 
inclosed  in  the  basil  leather,  and  in  order  that  it  may  not  appear 
formal,  wind  pieces  of  leather  round  the  naked  wire  at  irregular 
intervals,  to  resemble  knots,  etc. ; then  cover  the  whole  -with  basil 


LEATHER  WORK. 


221 


leather.  The  stem  and  tendrils,  which  are  to  wind  in  and  ont,  and 
are  a portion  of  the  plant,  are  not  to  have  wire  in  them. 

Fire  Screens  are  generally  filled  with  Berlin  wool,  or  some? 
other  fancy  needlework.  Those  who  would  prefer  to  have  an  entire 


piece  of  leather  w ork,  can  paint  landscapes  or  flowers  upon  white 
leather,  using  the  same  medium  as  is  used  in  body  color  painting, 
mixed  with  finely-powdered  colors. 

19* 


222 


LEATHER  WORK. 


A little  ingenuity  will  enable  any  one  to  make  very  pretty 
and  useful  Baskets.  One  like  the 
following,  ornamented  with  rose 
sprays  outside,  can  be  lined  inside 
with  velvet,  and  little  pockets  being 
made  in  the  velvet  lining,  they  be- 
come a very  useful  article.  The 
outside  is  stained  in  imitation  of  oak. 

The  Running  Border  here  given  can  be  adapted 
to  ornamenting  cornices,  poles,  frames,  etc.  It  is 
very  easy  of  imitation,  and  will  well  repay  the 
artist. 

We  close  this  article  with  a beautiful  design  for 
a Table.  It  is  made  in  four  pieces,  so  that  one 
part  can  be  done  at  a time,  and  when  completed, 
can  be  removed  until  the  whole  is  completed, 
when  it  can  be  put  firmly  together,  and  forms  a 
solid  example  of  the  use  and  beauty  of  the  orna- 
mental leather  work. 

In  making  Acorns , procure  some  natural  acorn  cups,  — choose 
such  cups  only  as  are  perfectly  sound,  — then  pierce  two  holes 
through  the  bottom  of  the  cup,  pass  a piece  of  fine  wire  through 
the  holes,  leaving  the  two  ends  long  enough  to  be  twisted  into  a 
stalk.  If  the  stalk  is  to  be  exposed,  it  must  be  covered  and  made 
fast  with  liquid  glue.  The  most  correctly  formed  acorn  tops  are 
those  turned  in  wood,  -which  can  be  firmly  placed  in  the  cup  by 
the  aid  of  the  liquid  glue.  This  completes  the  fully-formed  acorn. 
A slight  variation  of  this  method  is  suitable  for  cherries  and  grapes. 

The  Size  for  Stiffening.  — Simmer  four  ounces  of  strips  of  parch- 
ment in  eight  ounces  of  water  till  it  is  reduced  one  half ; skim  off 
any  impurities  that  may  arise  to  the  surface,  then  strain  through  a 


LEATHER  WORK. 


223 


fine  sieve,  or  cloth,  into  a basin  ; leave  it  till  cold,  when  it  will  be 
firm  and  clear.  When  required  for  use,  cut  off  as  much  as  you 
want,  and  warm  it.  Use  while  warm. 


A thin  glue  size  of  a light  color  will  answer  when  the  above 
materials  are  not  handy. 

In  this,  as  in  all  other  kinds  of  fancy  work,  every  thing  depends 
upon  the  neatness  of  the  work.  You  must  not  only  arrange  taste- 


224 


LEATHER  WORK. 


fully,  but  you  must  secure  every  leaf,  tendril,  and  flower  firmly ; 
and,  above  all  things,  do  not  crowd  together  such  a mass  of  work 
as  to  displease  the  eye  and  offend  good  taste. 

A very  pretty  effect  is  produced  by  gilding  and  bronzing  the 
leather.  Go  over  the  surface  of  your  leaf  or  petal  with  a camel’s 
hair  pencil  dipped  in  gold  size,  and  when  so  dry  that  it  will  stick  to 
the  finger  lay  on  your  gold  leaf  or  gold  bronze  as  in  directions 
for  bronze  painting,  on  another  page. 

In  painting  leather  work,  use  finely- powdered  colors,  mixing 
them  to  the  consistency  of  cream,  by  using  the  white  of  an  egg  with 
two  ounces  of  distilled  vinegar.  Keep  this  in  a bottle,  and  shake 
it  well  whenever  you  wish  to  mix  colors  with  it.  Colors  can  be 
also  mixed  with  warm  parchment  size,  or  with  a weak  solution  of 
gum  arabic.  In  all  of  these  methods  apply  a coat  of  quick  drying 
pale  varnish.  Oil  colors  are  not  suited  to  this  kind  of  material. 


Caniunng. 


(225) 


t 


over  the  whole  interior  with  arsenic, 


(a  deadly  poison ;)  put  wires  from  the  head  to  the  legs 
to  preserve  the  natural  form,  and  stuff  immediately  with 
tow,  wool,  or  the  like.  If  allowed  to  dry  after  apply- 
ing the  arsenic,  the  skin  becomes  too  stiff  to  handle. 

Another,  and,  as  we  think,  a better  way  for  very  small 

(227) 


228 


TAXIDERMY. 


birds,  is,  “ after  taking  out  the  entrails,  to  open  a pas- 
sage to  the  brain,  which  must  be  scooped  out  through 
the  mouth;  introduce  into  the  cavities  of  the  ♦skull  and 
the  whole  body  a mixture  of  salt,  pepper,  and  alum,  put- 
ting some  through  the  gullet  and  whole  length  of  the 
neck  ; then  hang  the  bird  in  a cool,  airy  place  — - first 
by  the  feet,  that  the  body  may  be  impregnated  by  the 
salt,  and  afterward  by  a thread  through  the  under  man- 
dible of  the  .bill,  till  it  appears  to  be  sweet ; then  hang 
in  the  sun,  or  near  a fire.  After  it  is  well  dry,  clear 
out  what  remains  of  the  mixture,  and  fill  up  the  cavity 
of  the  body  with  wool,  oakum,  or  any  soft  substance.” 


ANGLO-JAPANESE  WORK, 


229 


ANGLO-JAPANESE  WORK. 

ib 

“ This  is  an  elegant  and  easy  domestic  art.  Take 
yellow  withered  leaves,  dissolve  gum,  get  mixed  black 
paint  and  some  copal  varnish,  etc.  Any  articles  may  be 
ornamented  with  these  simple  materials  — an  old  work- 
box,  tea-caddy,  fire  screen,  flower  pots,  etc.  Select  per- 
fect leaves,  dry  and  press  them  between  the  leaves  of 
books,  rub  the  surface  of  the  article  to  be  ornamented 
with  fine  sand  paper,  then  give  it  a coat  of  fine  black 
paint,  which  should  be  procured  mixed  at  a color  shop. 
-When  dry,  rub  smooth  with  pumice  stoue  ; then  apply 
two  other  coats.  Dry  ; arrange  leaves  in  any  manner 
and  variety,  according  to  taste.  Gum  the  leaves  on  the 
under  side,  and  press  them  upon  their  places.  Then 
dissolve  some  isinglass  in  hot  water,  and  brush  it  over 
the  work  while  the  solution  is  warm  ; when  dry,  give 
three  coats  of  copal  varnish,  allowing  ample  time  for 
each  coat  to  dry.  Articles  thus  ornamented  last  for 
years,  and  are  very  pleasing.” 


20 


280 


TRANSFER  ON  WOOD. 


TRANSFER  ON  WOOD. 

Dissolve  salt  in  soft  water  ; float  your  engraving  on 
the  surface,  picture  side  up ; let  it  remain  about  one 
hour.  Your  screen,  box,  or  table  should  be  of  bird’s- 
eye  maple,  or  other  light-colored  hard  wood ; varnish 
with  best  copal  or  transfer  varnish. 

Take  the  picture  from  the  water,  dry  a little  between 
linen  rags  ; then  put  the  engraving,  picture  side  down, 
on  the  varnished  wood,  and  smooth  it  nicely.  If  the 
picture  entirely  covers  the  wood  after  the  margin  is  cut 
off,  so  that  no  varnish  be  exposed,  lay  over  it  a thin 
board  and  heavy  weight ; leave  it  thus  in  press  over 
night.  If  you  wish  but  a small  picture  in  the  center 
of  your  wood,  apply  the  varnish  only  to  a space  the 
size  of  your  picture.  Dip  your  fore  finger  in  salt  and 
water,  and  commence  rubbing  off  the  paper ; the  nearer 
you  come  to  the  engraving,  the  more  careful  you  must 
be,  as  a hole  would  spoil  your  work.  Rub  slowly  and 
patiently,  till  you  have  taken  off  every  bit  of  the  paper, 
and  left  only  the  black  lines  and  touches  of  your  picture 
on  the  wood,  in  an  inverted  direction.  Finish  up  with 
two  or  three  coats  of  copal  varnish. 


HE  tools  requisite  in  this  delightful  branch 
of  ornamental  work,  are  as  follows,  and 
as  the  learner  advances  “n  knowledge  and  experience, 
he  will  easily  originate  other  forms  and  models  from 
which  to  make  particular  designs  : — 

A “ dipper,”  or  “ plunger,”  (for  sheeting  the  wax,) 
made  of  lignumvitae,  or  some  very  close-grained,  hard 
wood,  as  smooth  as  glass,  from  four  to  six  inches  in 

(233) 


20* 


234 


WAX  WORK. 


diameter  across  the  face,  (which  should  he  slightly 
convex.) 

Melding  sticks  of  this  form,  and  of  two  or  more 
sizes. 


One  of  this,  for  convol- 
vulus. 

One  of  this,  for  lily  of 


If  you  wish  to  make  other  varieties  of  bell  flowers, 
get  the  sticks  turned  by  some  skillful  workman,  from 
natural  flowers  ; they  should  be  very  hard,  and  as  smooth 
as  possible. 

The  brushes  used  in  painting  the  smooth  surface  of 
flowers  are  the  round,  stiff,  bristle  brushes,  called  scrubs , 
or  theorem  brushes.  For  fine  lines,  spots,  etc.,  take  fine 
camel’s  hair  pencils. 

Wire  of  three  different  sizes,  annealed. 


WAX  WORK. 


235 


To  prepare  Wax  for  Flowers.  — Take  the  very  best  quality 
of  white  wax,  and  melt  it  slowly  in  an  earthen  vessel  or  porcelain 
porringer ; when  melted,  stir  into  it  one  table- spoonful  of  fir  balsam 
to  every  cup  of  melted  wax. 

Have  at  hand  a basin  of  warm  soap  suds,  fine  towels  or  rags,  and 
your  dipper. 

When  the  wax  is  melted,  wet  your  dipper  in  the  suds,  rub  soap 
all  over  it,  rinse  it  in  the  basin,  shake  off  the  water,  dip  with  a 
quick  motion  into  the  hot  wax,  so  as  barely  to  skim  the  surface, 
bending  the  dipper  over,  so  as  to  exclude  the  air  ; raise  your  dipper 
from  the  wax,  and  plunge  it  into  the  basin  of  suds.  A sheet  of 
thin,  semi-transparent,  flexible  wax  will  be  found  therein  of  the 
right  consistency  for  roses,  azalias,  and  all  flowers  of  similar  tex- 
ture. Continue  dipping  off  sheets  until  you  wish  to  change  the 
quality  of  the  wax  ; be  careful  that  the  wax  be  neither  bubbling  hot 
nor  cool. 

Japonicas,  orange  blossoms,  and  all  thick,  opaque  petals  require  a 
different  white.  To  make  this,  we  put  into  the  wax,  when  hot,  a 
small  bag  of  flake  or  German  white ; never  more  than  one  third  of 
a tea-spoonful,  and  dip  as  before,  only  regulating  the  thickness  of 
the  wax  by  heat.  When  you  have  dipped  off  as  many  sheets  as  you 
require,  pour  the  rest  into  a well-soaped  cup  to  form  a lump  for 
pinks. 

Next  to  the  white,  prepare  yellow  wax  in  the  same  way  as  the 
white,  only  using  yellow-powdered  chrome.  After  you  have 
made  the  yellow,  put  together  all  the  bits  and  edges  of  wax  which 
you  have  pulled  from  the  sheets,  add  green  powdered  paint,  and 
dip  off  various  shades  of  green,  from  very  light  to  very  dark.  Other 
colors,  as  red  and  blue,  may  be  prepared  in  the  same  way ; but  we 
prefer  painting  the  white  and  yellow  wax  to  obtain  more  brilliancy 
of  tone. 


236 


WAX  WORK. 


The  melted  wax,  as  for  japonicas,  is  used  for  bell-flowers.  Soap 
the  stick  very  thoroughly,  wash  off  the  particles  of  soap,  plunge 
your  stick  into  the  hot  wax,  then  into  the  suds.  In  taking  the 
stick  from  the  wax,  let  the  wax  drip  from  the  end  rather  than  the 
side.  We  think  it  best  to  plunge  the  stick  quickly  and  raise  it 
perpendicularly  ; in  this  way,  if  there  be  a little  extra  thickness,  it 
will  come  in  the  right  place. 

The  utmost  care  must  be  taken  with  the  lily  of  the  valley ; be 
not  discouraged  if  you  dip  two  or  three  times  before  getting  a per- 
fect bell.  The  wax  must  be  hot,  without  simmer  or  bubble. 

Green  leaves  made  by  dipping  the  natural  leaf  into  the  hot 
green  wax,  then  putting  the  two  wax  sides  together,  with  a wire  be- 
tween, are  more  natural  than  when  cut  and  veined ; but  they  tax 
the  patience,  and  require  more  time. 

Another  Method  of  'preparing  Wax.  — Melt  the  wax  in  a vessel 
of  hot  water ; the  wax  will  rise  to  the  top.  Put  in  fir  balsam, 

sweet  oil,  and  spirits  of  turpentine,  in  the  proportion  of  1,  2,  3, 

that  is,  one  part  turpentine,  two  oil,  and  three  balsam,  — six  tea- 
spoonfuls to  a pint  of  wax  in  warm  weather,  and  one  third  more  in 
cold  weather.  Immerse  a junk  bottle  into  the  wax ; it  will  form 
around  it.  Cut  down  the  wax  on  the  bottle,  and  you  will  thus 
have  a strip  instead  of  a round  sheet  of  wax. 

We  prefer  the  former  to  the  latter  method  of  preparing  the  wax, 
though  we  use  both. 

To  make  Patterns  for  Flowers - — Dissect  natural  flowers,  and 
cut  paper  patterns  from  their  petals,  writing  on  them  the  num- 
ber of  6ach  size  and  the  number  of  sizes,  likewise  the  color  desired. 

Flower  Making.  — Where  a flower  requires  fine  work 
o rt  minute  penciling,  the  sable  brushes  are  to  be  used  for 


WAX  WORK. 


237 


this  purpose,  and  they  will  be  found  essentially  neces- 
sary in  the  imitation  of  geraniums,  carnations,  heart’s- 
ease,  or  flowers  of  similar  character. 

Before  you  commence  cutting,  take  care  to  render  your 
scissors  loose  in  the  rivet.  Dip  them  constantly  in  the 
cup  of  water  at  your  side,  to  prevent  their  adhesion  to 
the  wax  ; should  they,  in  spite  of  this,  become  clogged, 
place  them  in  your  mouth  for  a few  seconds,  and  the  heat 
will  clear  the  edges  so  that  you  can  wipe  them  easily. 

You  will  perceive  that  the  wax  has  a dull  side  and  a 
glossy  one  — a right  and  a wrong. 

It  is  better  to  lay  the  paper  pattern  upon  the  dull  side, 
so  that,  in  cutting  out,  you  secure  a sharp  and  clear  edge. 
Be  cautious  that  you  place  the  pattern  in  such  a position 
as  to  cut  with  the  grain  of  the  wax.  Be  sure  to  cut 
the  same  number  of  petals  as  you  found  in  the  natural 
flower,  or  the  harmony  of  proportion  desirable  in  your 
flower  will  be  lost. 

Spread  half  a sheet  of  tissue  paper  over  the  table  upon 
which  you  intend  to  work,  so  as  to  prevent  the  slightest 
dust  or  impurity  of  any  kind  from  injuring  your  wax,  to 
which  every  particle  of  dust  will  adhere. 

As  we  have  remarked  in  speaking  of  painting  the 


238 


WAX  WORK. 


fruit,  the  stiff  brushes  are  held  perfectly  upright,  and  the 
color  applied  rapidly. 

Damask  roses,  fuschias,  camellias,  etc.,  may  be  painted 
with  crimson  powder  mixed  with  water  on  the  palette. 
(See  list  of  colors.) 

A bright  scarlet  for  poppies,  scarlet  dahlies,  etc.,  is 
obtained  by  painting  the  same  crimson  on  yellow  wax. 

The  same  on  a light  lemon-colored  wax  gives  another 
beautiful  shade.  Various  shades  of  rose  tints  can  he 
gained  by  carmine  more  or  less  deep.  Sometimes  we 
paint  with  dry  powder.  If  the  wax  he  slightly  warm,  the 
powder  will  adhere,  and  a soft,  velvety  surface  he  pro- 
duced, such  as  can  not  be  made  by  the  use  of  the  water 
color  alone.  In  making  a bouquet,  you  need  the  various 
colors  and  surfaces,  if  you  will  he  true  to  nature.  Be 
very  careful  to  avoid  painting  that  portion  of  each  petal 
which  is  to  be  joined  to  the  foundation  of  the  flower,  as 
any  moisture  or  color  prevents  a secure  adhesion. 

To  make  a Pink  Rose.  — Lay  the  cut  paper  pattern  on  the 
wrong  side  of  the  wax,  cut  with  the  small,  sharp  scissors,  fre- 
quently dipping  them  in  warm  water,  or  putting  them  in  your 
mouth.  Paint  very  lightly  with  carmine,  leaving  the  lower  part  of 
the  petal  white.  Lay  a petal  on  the  palm  of  your  hand,  right  side 
down ; press  the  head  of  the  wooden  pin,  first  on  the  right,  then  on 


WAX  WORK. 


239 


the  left  side,  endeavoring  not  to  press  the  middle.  This  will  give  a 
graceful  curl  to  the  petal,  as  you  will  observe  by  the  natural  one. 
Half-blown  roses  and  buds  need  to  be  curled  more  than  full- 

k 

blown  ones. 

Your  petals  painted  and  arranged  in  order,  proceed  to  make  the 
stamens.  This  is  done  by  binding  a strip  of  yellow  wax,  one  eighth 
of  an  inch  in  width,  on  a strip  of  white  wax,  nearly  one  inch  in 
width,  and  cutting  through  the  yellow  half  way  down  into  the 
white,  so  as  to  make  a fringe.  The  finer  you  cut  it,  the  better ; or 
you  can  cut  the  unbound  white  wax  ; then  dip  the  cut  ends  into  a 
solution  of  gum  nrabic,  and  afterward  into  powdered  yellow  ; this 
will  give  a pollen. 

The  calyx  is  cut  from  a suitable  shade  of  green,  and  from  a pat- 
tern taken  from  the  calyx  of  a natural  rose. 

For  the  leaves  take  two  shades  of  green  — one  for  the  upper,  the 
other  for  the  under  side  of  the  leaf ; put  them  together,  and  cut 
your  green  leaf  through  the  double  wax  ; insert  a wire  between  the 
two  parts  of  the  leaf  to  form  the  fibre  and  pedicle  of  the  same ; 
then  press  the  two  sides  firmly  together,  and  serrate  the  edges  with 
your  sharp  scissors. 

The  leaf  has  a neater  finish  if  the  wire  be  covered  with  wax  before 
inserting.  Take  a very  narrow  strip  of  wax,  lay  it  perpendicularly 
against  the  wire  ; then  twist  the  wire  round  and  round  between  the 
thumb  and  finger,  until  it  is  entirely  covered  with  a smooth  surface 
of  green. 

Observe  how  symmetrically  Nature  has  arranged  her  rose  leaves, 
and  try  to  imitate  — one  large  one  for  the  top  of  the  stalk,  two  a 
little  smaller  placed  just  below,  and  a third  pair  still  farther  down. 

Fine  wire  doubled  is  better  than  coarse,  stiff  wire.  Take  of  such 
a piece  the  desired  length  ; turn  the  end  over  two  or  three  times,  to 
prevent  the  flower  slipping  off  while  you  are  putting  it  together. 


240 


WAX  WORK. 


Cover  the  end  thus  bent  with  green  wax,  pinching  up  a bit  in  the 
center  for  a pistil ; wind  around  this  the  strip  of  fringed  wax,  and 
compare  with  the  natural  flower.  Now  set  around  the  petals, 
commencing  with  the  smallest  size ; press  the  lower  part  of  each 
petal  on  the  lump  which  is  around  the  wire.  Take  the  other  sizes 
one  after  the  other,  pressing  them  in  the  same  manner,  and  so  on 
till  all  are  used.  Work  down  the  lower  parts  of  the  petals  with 
the  small  end  of  the  molding  stick. 

Set  the  calyx  around  neatly,  and  cover  the  stalk.  You  will  have 
a rose  natural  and  beautiful  in  proportion  to  the  neatness  of  your 
work  and  the  accuracy  with  which  you  have  imitated  your  pattern, 
a natural  one. 

Persons  often  smell  of  our  roses,  then,  with  a look  of  astonish- 
ment, exclaim,  “ Why,  what  kind  of  a rose  is  it! ” Nature  alone 
can  give  the  perfume. 

Camellia. — After  modeling  a rose,  any  person  can  make  a 
japonica  by  having  one  to  look  at.  In  case  our  reader  has  none,  we 
give  these  directions. 

Cut  six  petals  from  each  of  the  heart-shaped  patterns  from  which 
you  cut  your  rose,  only  a trifle  longer.  Make  a ball  of  wax  on  the 
end  of  the  wire,  turned  as  before  to  prevent  the  flower  slipping  off, 
and  bend  over  it  eight  or  ten  of  the  smallest  petals ; then  place  three 
rows  of  the  succeeding  sizes  of  petals  turned  inw’ard  around  the 
ball  in  the  center,  and  the  other  rows  turn  outward.  The  calyx  is 
of  light  green,  round  at  the  top  ; the  leaves  are  large,  brilliant, 
dark- green  color. 

Colored  japonicas  vary  only  in  color.  Crimson  painted  on  yel- 
low gives  a fine  color,  and  carmine  on  white  makes  a beautiful 
japonica. 

Convolvulus.  — Convolvuli  are  dipped  on  a stick  made  for  that 
purpose  from  the  natural  flower.  Paint  the  veins  with  a fine 


WAX  WORK. 


241 


brush.  Put  a bit  of  wax  on  the  end  of  a fine  wire,  and  cut  to 
imitate  stamens ; pierce  the  wire  through  the  tube  of  the  dower, 
twist  with  green  wax,  and  finish  off  with  tendrils  and  leaves i 
Tendrils  are  made  by  covering  a small  wire  with  wax,  and  twisting 
it  around  a molding  stick,  commencing  at  the  point,  and  turning  it 
round  and  round  from  the  center  of  the  stick  to  the  point,  to  form 
a spiral  cone.  A few  small  green  leaves  make  a pretty  finish. 

Lily  of  the  Valley . — “ Consider  the  lilies,  how  they  grow  ; they 
toil  not,  they  spin  not,  and  yet  I say  unto  you,  that  Solomon 
in  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these.”  Cut  the  edge 
of  the  little  white  bells  into  scallops,  turn  them  back  a little,  put 
a bit  of  yellow  wax  on  the  end  of  a bent  wire,  dip  it  in  gum  arabic, 
then  in  yellow  powder  for  pollen  ; draw  the  wire  through  the 
center  of  the  flower,  and  twist  for  a stalk  with  very  delicate  light 
green.  The  leaves  are  too  large  and  stiff  to  be  pretty  in  wax. 

Violets  should  be  painted  with  a soft  brush ; they  require  much 
time  and  care. 

Orange  Blossoms  must  be  made  from  thick  wax  ; the  stamens 
cut  longer  than  for  a rose.  The  beautiful  white  buds  and  various 
green  leaves  can  hardly  be  equaled  by  any  other  flower  made  in 
wax.  They  are  pretty  wedding  presents  for  the  hair. 

Dahlia.  — Cut  the  petals  from  the  natural  flower ; roll  each 
petal  with  the  head  of  the  molding  stick  from  the  top  to  the  bot- 
tom ; draw  a perpendicular  line  with  the  point  of  the  stick  through 
the  center  of  the  leaf,  and  curved  lines  on  each  side,  like  the  longi- 
tudinal lines  on  a globe ; turn  the  top  of  the  three  largest  sizes 
back  a little. 

As  this  flower  is  very  broad  at  the  base,  pass  your  wire  doubled 
twice  through  a large  button  mold,  twist  it  firmly  underneath,  and 
cover  it  with  yellow  or  very  pale  green  wax  ; roll  up  a small  bit  of 
yellow  wax,  and  mold  it  to  the  center  of  the  button  ; press  closely 
21 


242 


WAX  WORK. 


around  this  the  lower  end  of  a cut  fringe  of  yellow  wax  dipped  in 
gum  arabic  and  powdered  for  pollen ; around  these  stamens  mold 
the  twenty-five  or  thirty  small  petals.  Care  must  be  taken  to  keep 
them  pressed  very  closely  together,  and  as  the  surface  of  the  button 
becomes  filled,  wind  around  its  edges  strips  of  yellow  wax ; con- 
tinue to  set  the  petals  around  in  the  order  of  their  sizes,  keeping  a 
broad  surface. 

The  calyces  help  to  support  the  flower.  Below  the  two  rows 
of  flat  calyces,  place  five  nipped  at  the  ends  and  turned  back- 
ward. 

This  flower  is  rather  difficult  to  put  together,  but  amply  repays 
the  labor  by  its  naturalness  and  beauty. 

Pinks.  — The  petals  may  be  cut  and  pointed  with  sharp  scissors, 
then  painted  with  a soft  brush,  or  with  the  dry  powder,  as  hereto- 
fore directed,  according  to  the  color  desired. 

Another  and  Better  Method.  — Paint  all  over  the  lump  of  wax 
which  you  have  run  in  the  cup  for  that  purpose ; then  scrape 
from  it  with  a sharp  penknife.  If  you  hold  the  knife  between  the 
thumb  and  fore  finger  of  the  right  hand,  and  begin  to  scrape  at  the 
center  of  the  knife,  leaving  off  at  the  point,  you  will  get  a beauti- 
fully variegated  pointed  petal,  smooth  on  one  side,  and  slightly 
quilled  on  the  other.  We  draw  a bit  of  quill  feather  over  the 
knife  for  the  two  stamens,  and  arrange  the  petals  around  in  order, 
beginning  with  the  smallest.  Pinish  off  with  a pointed  calyx ; 
imitate  the  natural  one. 

Hyacinths  can  be  made  single  or  double,  of  various  shades  and 
colors.  Do  not  paint  the  lower  part  of  the  petals.  Roll  them 
from  the  top  to  the  bottom,  draw  a line  through  the  middle,  press 
it  on  the  under  side  to  make  a strong  indenture,  put  the  lower  part 
under  the  thumb,  and  turn  the  top  over  the  fore  finger  — easy  to 
make. 


WAX  WORK. 


243 


We  have  now  spoken  of  the  various  methods  which 
we  employ  in  making  flowers,  and  will  only  add,  that 
in  our  study  to  imitate  natural  flowers,  we  use  what- 
ever suits  our  purpose  best ; for  some  stamens,  as  those  of 
the  dahlia,  we  dry  the  center  of  a natural  dahlia,  and  use 
it  instead  of  the  cut  stamen.  Sometimes  we  dip  sewing 
cotton  into  hot  wax,  drawing  it  through  the  fingers ; 
this  is  good  where  the  filaments  are  long.  Again,  ma- 
nilla  grass  is  used,  as  it  is  stiff  as  well  as  delicate. 

If  we  wish  to  represent  a petal  having  one  color  on 
one  side,  and  one  on  the  other,  as  the  white  lily,  which 
is  green  and  white,  we  put  a piece  of  thin  white  mus- 
lin between  green  and  white  wax,  and  cut  the  petal 
through  the  two  ; this  interlining  gives  a clear  green 
on  one  side,  and  a clear  white  on  the  other  ; the  same 
may  be  done  with  other  colors,  as  the  huff  and  pink 
for  honeysuckles. 

White  Passion  Flowers. — To  form  the  three  purple  anthers  to 
be  seen  on  the  top  of  the  pistil,  roll  white  wax  round  fine  wires  of 
about  three  quarters  of  an  inch  in  length,  till  the  proper  size  and 
length  are  obtained,  remembering  to  make  them  thicker  as  you 
approach  the  top,  which  in  itself  is  nearly  globular. 

Color  these  anthers  with  the  darkest  shade  of  purple,  and  twist 
the  ends  of  the  three  wires  together. 


244 


WAX  WORK, 


In  order  to  form  the  pistil,  place,  one  over  the  other,  a sufficient 
quantity  of  light  green,  light  yellow,  and  white  wax,  the  latter  be- 
ing intended  for  the  outside  ; roll  these  together  round  second  sized 
wire  into  the  desired  shape,  the  top  being  thicker  than  the  base, 
which  terminates  in  a globe  of  lemon- colored  wax,  representing  the 
ovary  or  seed  cup. 

The  three  purple  anthers  are  placed  on  the  crown  of  the  pistil,  so 
that  their  tops  are  equidistant  from  each  other,  forming  a triangle, 
the  sides  of  which  are  about  an  inch  in  length. 

Five  ladle-shaped  stamens  are  next  formed  from  the  same  union 
of  wax  as  used  in  the  pistil,  properly  cut  by  the  pattern,  curled  and 
united  to  the  stem  of  the  pistil,  having  been  previously  colored 
round  the  edges  with  yellow. 

Cut  a piece  of  white  wax  into  a fine  fringe  about  half  an  inch 
deep  and  two  inches  long ; color  the  fringe  with  a rich  deep  pur- 
ple, and  roll  it  round  the  ovary,  turning  the  purple  portions  over 
the  globe,  and  touching  the  pistil. 

Double  a piece  of  white  wax  the  same  length  as  before,  and  snip 
the  edge  with  the  point  of  the  scissors  about  the  twentieth  part  of 
an  inch  ; this  short  fringe,  being  colored  purple  upon  its  edge,  is 
rolled  close  to  the  base  of  the  preceding  piece. 

The  rays  are  formed  from  a double  piece  of  white  wax,  and  cut 
in  fine  shreds  to  pattern  ; roll  each  between  your  finger  and  thumb, 
as  for  a stem,  and  when  all  are  rolled,  place  them  upright,  and  close 
to  each  other,  upon  a strip  of  white  wax  about  two  and  a half 
inches  long  and  half  an  inch  deep,  taking  care  that  the  rays  are  so 
placed  that  their  points  extend  about  three  quarters  of  an  inch 
above  the  strip. 

We  now  proceed  to  color  the  points  with  blue,  leaving  the  centers 
white,  and  tinting  the  base  with  purple. 


WAX  WORK. 


245 


This  done,  bend  the  points  backward,  and  arrange  the  rays  round 
the  portions  already  attached  to  the  seed  cup. 

Place  one  sheet  of  lemon-colored  wax  between  two  of  white,  and 
from  this  cut  the  petals.  Color  them  on  either  side  with  light 
green ; curl  upon  the  uncolored  side  — first  with  the  head  of  the  stick 
round  the  edges,  and  then  once  down  the  center. 

The  calyx  is  cut  from  light  green  wax,  and  curled  upon  the 
glossy  side. 

After  placing  the  petals  so  as  to  form  a double  star,  proceed  to  roll 
green  wax  round  the  stem  formed  of  wire. 

The  passion  flower  is  a native  of  Brazil,  where  it  at- 
tains a luxuriance  of  growth  unknown  to  our  temperate 
regions.  The  legend  connected  with  it  has  given  it  an 
interest  almost  sacred,  even  when  viewed  by  other  eyes 
than  those  of  superstitious  devotees. 

It  is  said  that  certain  Jews,  bewailing  in  Jerusalem 
the  death  of  Christ,  saw  for  the  first  time  this  flower, 
by  some  said  to  have  sprung  wherever  drops  of  his 
blood  had  fallen,  and,  with  the  scene  of  his  wondrous 
passion  and  death  still  fresh  in  their  memory,  gave  to 
this  beautiful  blossom  a symbolic  meaning,  indicative  of 
his  sufferings  and  the  manner  of  his  death. 

The  anthers  are  supposed  to  represent  the  three  nails 
used  at  the  crucifixion. 

The  rays  represent  the  glory  of  our  Lord.  The  purple 


21* 


246 


WAX  WORK. 


fringe,  sometimes  found  with  red  spots  upon  it,  is  a type 
of  the  crown  of  thorns. 

The  petals,  ten  in  number,  are  the  representatives 
of  those  apostles  who  were  faithful  to  their  heavenly 
Master. 

The  three  sepals  forming  the  calyx  are  emblematic 
of  the  Trinity. 

This  poetical  conception  has  caused  the  passion  flower 
to  be  held  in  esteem  almost  amounting  to  veneration 
in  Catholic  countries ; and  the  blossom  is  found  en- 
twined in  many  cases  with  emblazoned  inscriptions,  and 
borders  of  old  manuscripts  of  the  sacred  writings. 

Who  does  not  love  the  passion  flower  ? And  who, 
among  God’s  children,  does  not  recognize  his  glory  in 
every  flower  that  grows  ? The  anemone,  the  buttercup, 
the  daisy,  the  violet,  all  lead  our  thoughts  to  him,  and 
we  are  forced  to  cry  out,  “ How  wondrous  are  thy 
works,  O God  ! ” 

Wax  Fktjit.  — Some  people  use  the  poorer  kinds  of 
wax  for  fruit,  thinking  to  economize  ; but  our  experience 
has  taught  us  that  the  best  is  the  cheapest,  and  there- 
fore we  get  the  best  the  market  affords.  We  melt  the 
wax  in  small  earthen  or  stone  pitchers,  putting  a white 


WAX  WORK. 


247 


muslin  bag  of  paint,  say  one  third  of  a tea-spoonful,  into 
the  hot  wax.  For  lemons,  yellow  apples,  peaches,  etc., 
we  use  yellow  or  lemon  powdered  chrome  ; for  oranges, 
orange  chrome  ; for  green  apples,  cucumbers,  green  pears, 
etc.,  green  chrome,  varying  the  shades  according  to  what 
we  desire  to  make. 

The  wax  should  never  be  heated  to  boiling,  neither 
should  it  be  made  thick  with  the  powdered  paint.  If 
a sufficiently  dark  color  can  not  be  obtained  by  the  use 
of  the  little  muslin  bag,  then  add  oil  paint  of  the  de- 
sired shade,  from  the  tubes.  We  furnish  Winsor  and 
Newton’s  colors,  — the  best  in  use. 

For  a rich  plum,  for  example,  we  color  the  wax  with 
drop  red  powdered,  and  add  rich  dark  blue,  or  purple, 
from  the  tube. 

Oil  the  inside  of  the  mold  by  gently  patting  it  with 
a bit  of  cotton  batting  dipped  in  lamp  oil  and  tallow, 
as  before  mentioned.  Place  the  mold  so  that  you  can 
see  how  to  bring  the  locks  together  in  an  instant. 
Hold  one  half  the  mold  firmly  in  your  left  hand;  with 
the  right  hand  pour  into  it  the  melted  wax  from  the  pitch- 
er ; shut  the  empty  half  over  it  as  quickly  as  possible, 
and  holding  the  mold  with  both  your  hands,  press  the 


248 


WAX  WORK. 


two  sides  together,  turn  round  and  round  and  shake  in 
every  direction,  until  you  can  no  longer  hear  the  mo- 
tion of  the  wax ; then  set  the  mold  aside  to  cool. 
While  you  are  waiting  for  that  piece  of  fruit  to  cool, 
mold  others  in  the  same  way. 

If  one  person  is  to  work  alone,  and  wait  upon  him- 
self, we  advise  him  to  make  fruit  of  but  one  color,  say 
yellow,  as  in  peaches,  yellow  apples,  lemons,  yellow  pears, 
crab  apples,  until  he  has  acquired  some  skill,  and  is  able 
to  move  quickly  and  manage  many  things.  Before  pour- 
ing the  heated  wax  into  the  mold,  try  it  by  placing  a 
thin  bit  on  the  surface  of  the  melted  wax  ; if  it  melts 
immediately  it  is  too  hot,  and  will  spoil  the  mold  ; if 
it  floats  on  the  surface,  slowly  melting  at  the  edges,  it 
is  all  right.  To  have  the  fruit  look  well,  the  wax  must, 
be  neither  too  hot  nor  too  cold. 

In  from  ten  to  fifteen  minutes  the  mold  will  feel  cool 
to  your  hand,  when  you  can  open  it  and  take  out  the 
fruit ; scrape  away,  in  a slanting  direction,  the  seam 
where  the  two  parts  of  the  mold  united ; after  which, 
rub  it  with  a soft  rag  dipped  in  turpentine. 

The  fruit  being  nicely  clean,  smooth,  and  without 
cracks,  proceed  to  paint  it  with  a bristle  brush,  of  which 


WAX  WORK. 


249 


you  must  have  half  a dozen,  as  you  must  always  use 
the  same  brush  for  the  same  color. 

Take,  with  a small  palette  knife  or  spatula,  out  of  the 
bottle,  a minute  portion  of  the  color  required ; if  you 
have  a peach,  for  instance,  take  carmine,  dip  the  end  of 
the  brush  stick  into  water,  letting  the  end  of  the  globule 
fall  upon  the  palette  near  the  powder,  and  mix  well  to- 
gether, until  the  tint  be  of  the  consistency  of  cream,  and 
perfectly  smooth.  We  must  caution  against  dipping 
the  body  of  the  brush,  or  bristles,  into  water.  The 
brushes  used  are  held  upright,  and  the  color  applied 
rapidly. 

If  possible,  have  a natural  peach,  and  try  to  imitate 
it  in  color. 

For  the  down  of  the  peach,  put  some  dry  flour  on  the 
palms  of  your  hands,  roll  the  peach  between  your  hands 
until  every  part  be  covered  with  the  flour ; after  which, 
the  peach  should  be  as  little  handled  as  possible. 

To  have  a variety  in  your  peaches,  paint  some  a little 
green  or  brown  ; a brown  spot  now  and  then,  has  a 
good  effect. 

Oranges  and  lemons,  eggs  and  plums,  need  no  out- 
side painting. 


250 


WAX  WORK. 


Red  apples  are  painted  over  the  yellow  wax,  and  can 
be  nicely  finished  up  with  the  camel’s  hair  pencil ; for 
the  apple  calyx,  insert  a bit  of  carbonated  paper,  tobacco, 
or  tea  leaf ; for  the  stem,  take  a natural  one.  Finish 
your  apple  by  rubbing  it  with  the  hand  till  it  shines  ; 
or,  what  is  better,  varnish  it  with  fine  copal  varnish. 

Tomatoes  are  handsome,  and,  provided  you  get  a nice 
mold,  they  are  easily  made.  Various  small  fruits,  as 
barberries,  strawberries,  etc.,  are  formed  with  the  fingers, 
and  stuck  with  beads  where  necessary.  Blackberries  are 
handsome,  if  made  with  care. 

Grapes.  — Many  persons  make  purple  grapes  by  put- 
ting a lump  of  wax  on  the  end  of  a bent  wire,  and  after- 
ward in  melted  rosin.  They  look  well  at  a distance,  if 
nicely  powdered  with  blue  paint ; but  we  prefer  forming 
them  of  purple  wax  entirely,  or  dipping  grape  glasses 
into  the  purple,  as  we  do  into  green  wax  for  green 
grapes. 

We  obtain  various  glass  globes  of  the  sizes  of  grapes, 
glue  fine  wire  into  each  of  them  for  a stalk,  and  plunge 
into  green  wax,  prepared  expressly  for  grapes,  as  atten- 
tion must  be  paid  to  their  color. 

Have  the  wax  very  hot,  and  dip  the  glass  globe  as 


WAX  WORK. 


251 


quickly  as  possible,  holding  uprightly  to  let  the  wax  run 
under  the  grape.  (Don’t  mind  if  the  hot  wax  makes 
your  fingers  tingle  ; you  want  a beautiful  bunch  of 
grapes  ; “ pay  for  a thing  and  have  it ; ” we  have  dipped 
two  hundred  without  stopping.)  Bunch  the  grapes, 
the  small  ones  at  the  end  ; wind  the  stalks,  and  finish 
up  with  tendrils  and  leaves. 

Having  good  molds,  it  will  be  easy  for  you  to  make 
wax  dolls,  birds,  sheep,  etc. 

Hold  the  mold  in  your  left  hand ; pour  the  melted 
wax  into  the  aperture.  As  soon  as  it  forms  around  the 
edges,  pour  back  into  the  vessel  what  remains,  and  set 
the  mold  aside  to  cool. 

To  color  dolls,  we  stir  a very  little  vermilion  into  the 
hot  wax  ; or,  what  is  better  still,  tie  it  up  in  a bit  of 
muslin,  and  paint  the  cheeks  with  the  stiff  brush,  in  the 
same  manner  as  rose  leaves. 

We  put  hair  on  their  heads,  and  insert  enameled  eyes 
or  beads,  according  to  the  size  of  the  doll. 

Before  concluding  our  article  on  wax  flowers,  we 
would  say  that  ladies  need  not  be  deterred  from  making 
them  by  the  trouble  of  preparing  the  wax,  since  very 
nice  sheet-wax,  of  all  shades  and  colors,  and  of  different 


252 


WAX  WORK. 


thicknesses,  can  be  procured  of  the  publishers  of  this 
book  ; as  also  powdered  paints  and  bottles  of  adhesive 
mixtures,  to  use  with  water-colors  in  the  fine  pencilings 
of  such  flowers  as  pansies,  morning-glories,  &c.  These 
mixtures  are  superior  to  gum-arabic,  inasmuch  as  they 
are  less  liable  to  crack  than  gum  arabic. 

The  powdered  paints,  rubbed  carefully  on  the  surface 
of  the  wax  with  the  finger,  produce  that  soft  and  deli- 
cate texture  so  necessary  to  the  perfection  of  wax 
flowers.  And  here  it  may  be  well  to  describe  other 
methods  of  making  green  leaves,  in  which  we  have  been 
very  successful : one  is,  to  soak  green  leaves,  say  rose- 
leaves,  or  those  of  a similar  texture,  in  soap  and  water 
for  a few  hours  ; shake  off  the  water,  and  plunge  the 
leaf  directly  into  hot  wax  of  the  desired  shade  of  green  ; 
take  out,  and  remove  the  coating  of  wax  from  both  the 
upper  and  under  side  of  the  leaf ; put  the  two  together, 
with  a wire  between  them,  and  you  get  a beautiful  leaf. 
Another,  less  perfect,  but  easier  method,  is  to  make  a 
mold  of  a natural  leaf,  either  of  plaster  or  by  pressing 
together  pieces  of  wax  in  a solid  lump,  and  getting  the 
impression  of  the  veined  side  upon  it ; then  cut  the  wax- 
leaf,  and  take  the  impression  from  it  or  the  plaster  mold. 


22 


(253) 


PLASTER  WORK. 


RE  AT  care  is  necessary  in  regard  to  the 
consistency  of  the  plaster,  and  the  thorough 
greasing  of  the  molds. 

Provide  yourself  with  the  best  ground 
French  piaster,  some  good  lamp  or  neat’s 
foot  oil,  (if  the  former,  add  a very  small 
bit  of  mutton  tallow,)  camel’s  hair  pen- 
penknife,  rags,  thick  brown  paper,  small 
bowls,  or  a box  of  sand,  and  well  -water. 

Wipe  such  fruit  as  you  have  selected  for  molds 
very  carefully,  and  remove  the  calyx  and  stems 
without  marring  the  skin.  If  you  wish  to  mold 
nuts,  or  fruit  having  a rough  surface,  (except 
oranges  and  lemons,)  it  is  best  to  grease  them  in  such  a manner 
that  all  the  surface  may  be  perfectly  smeared,  without  being  greasy. 

Make  hollows  in  your  sand,  or,  as  we  think  preferable,  lay 
cloths  as  smoothly  as  possible  in  the  bowls  to  receive  the  plaster. 
You  will  see  the  advantage  of  the  rags  over  the  sand,  when  you 
finish  up  the  molds,  particularly  if  you  wish  them  to  look  very 
neatly  on  the  outside. 

Having  every  thing  at  hand,  (and  be  sure  that  you  do  have 
every  thing  ready,  for  the  plaster  will  not  wait  your  motion,) 
begin  to  mix  your  plaster  ; at  first,  take  but  little,  say  a 
half  pint  of  water  or  less  ; into  this  filter  your  plaster  until 
you  get  the  consistency  of  batter  for  cakes ; we  usually  mix 
with  an  iron  spoon.  Pour  the  plaster  into  the  hollows  in 

(255) 


256 


PLASTER  WORK. 


the  sand,  or  into  the  bowls  in  which  you  have  spread  the 
cloth  ; insert  just  one  half  of  each  piece  of  fruit  thus  : — 
let  it  remain  until  the  plaster  is 
hard ; then  remove  the  fruit  with 
the  greatest  care.  If  your  plaster 
was  properly  mixed,  you  will  have 
the  exact  impression  of  the  fruit  on  the  inside,  and  on  raising 
from  the  cloth,  a pretty  smooth  outside  surface.  Now  trim  the 
edges,  cutting  the  plaster  horizontally  to  the  level  of  the  impres- 
sion on  the  inner  side  of  the  mold ; the  reason  for  this  will  be  ob- 
vious when  you  see  how  beautifully  the  parts  will  fit  together  ; now 
make  three  or  four  grooves  in  the  horizontal  plane  of  the  mold, 

thus : we  make  one  oblong,  another 
round,  one  large,  another  small, 
quite  unlike  for  convenience  sake; 
this  done,  oil  every  groove  and  all 
the  edges  just  formed  by  your  knife. 

The  mold  being  now  thoroughly  oiled  with  the  brush,  except, 
of  course,  the  inside,  reset  the  fruit ; pin  the  thick  brown  paper 
around  the  mold  which  contains  it,  so  as  to  form  a case,  which 
must  be,  at  least,  two  inches  higher  than  the  fruit  as  it  stands  in 
the  mold. 

The  vessel  in  which  you  have  mixed  the  plaster,  as  well  as  the 
spoon,  being  perfectly  cleaned,  mix  again  ; this  time  pour  the 
plaster  into  the  paper  case ; it  will  cover  the  fruit  and  run  down 
the  grooves  forming  nice  locks  ; when  hard  enough  to  remove 
the  paper,  take  hold  of  the  plaster  with  both  hands,  and  pull 
the  two  parts  asunder,  remove  the  fruit  which  was  entirely  en- 
cased in  the  plaster,  and  you  will  have  a nice  mold  with  firm 
locks.  If  our  directions  are  carefully  followed,  there  will  be  little 
need  of  trimming  the  last  part. 


PLASTER  WORK. 


257 


Should  there  be  a few  holes  in  your  mold,  mix  up  a little  fresh 
plaster,  and  insert  it  with  the  point  of  your  knife,  smoothing  and 
trimming  the  edges  with  your  fingers. 

The  molds  being  perfectly  made,  set  them  in  a warm  oven, 
or  in  an  airy  place,  to  dry ; they  will  not  be  hard  enough  for 
use  for  three  or  four  weeks,  when  they  will  become  hard  as 
stone,  and  do  many  years’  service.  We  have  on  hand  some  peach 
molds  which  we  have  used  these  ten  years ; and,  for  aught  we 
know,  they  will  be  good  for  ten  years  to  come. 

Do  not  expect  to  make  the  very  best  molds  at  the  first  attempt. 
The  plaster  hardens  so  quickly  that  you  must  have  a little  prac- 
tice in  order  to  get  things  just  right.  Again,  if  you  stir  it  too 
much  or  too  little,  it  will  in  the  first  instance  lose  its  strength, 
and  in  the  second  be  lumpy.  Be  sure  to  have  every  thing  perfectly 
cleaned  at  every  mixing. 

We  recommend  Experience  as  the  best  of  teachers  ; she  has 
treated  us  very  kindly,  and  will  be  to  you  what  she  has  ever 
been  to  others. 

Sometimes  we  make  one  mold  in  three  or  four  pieces,  of 
course  mixing  fresh  plaster,  and  making  new  locks  for  every 
additional  piece. 

While  we  advise  you  to  mix  but  little  plaster  at  a time,  until 
you  can  mix  it  easily,  we  wish  you  to  have  several  things  in  readi- 
ness, that  you  may  use  up  all  you  mix.  About  a pint  of  the 
mixture  would  be  sufficient  for  the  half  mold  of  a middling 
sized  peach,  an  egg,  and  a nut;  therefore  it  is  best  to  have  as 
many  things  in  readiness,  otherwise  you  must  throw  away  your 
superabundant  mixture.  Now  that  we  have  told  you  how  to 
make  molds,  we  must  lead  your  attention  to  the  forms  of  the 
fruit,  or  whatever  you  intend  for  your  model. 

22* 


258 


PLASTER  WORK 


If  you  wish  to  make  a mold  from  an  ear  of  corn,  in  which 
the  grains  are  irregular,  it  will  be  almost  impossible  for  you  to 
make  it  in  two  pieces.  Try  it,  and  you  will  see  that  you  can  not 
get  the  ear  from  the  mold  without  breaking  it;  and  this  will 
teach  you  that  unless  the  model  can  be  easily  removed  from  the 
plaster,  it  is  worthless,  inasmuch  as  you  could  not  take  an  object 
in  wax  safely  from  such  a mold.  (See  engraving.) 

In  order  to  obviate  all  difficulty,  either  choose  such  fruits,  etc*, 
as  can  be  made  in  a mold  of  two  parts,  or  make  your  mold 
in  three  or  more  parts,  according  to  the  fruit. 

Molds  for  small  wax  dolls  can  be  made  in  two  parts,  the  doll 
placed  in  the  plaster  in  a lying  position.' 

Molds  for  dolls’  heads  of  medium  size  may  be  made  in  two 
parts,  and  left  open  where  the  head  is  fastened  on  the  body.  Cut 
the  plaster  off  level  on  the  open  side. 

Molds  for  sheep,  lambs,  and  dogs,  (lying  down,)  also  for  human 
hands,  may  be  made  in  the  same  way.  If  you  wish  to  take  the 
mold  of  a hand,  be  sure  to  oil  it  nicely  (that  is,  to  oil  it  without 
leaving  oil  standing  on  the  surface)  before  laying  on  the  plaster ; 
leave  the  opening  at  the  wrist. 

When  you  have  succeeded  in  making  good  molds,  you  can  try 
your  skill  at  plaster  fruits  and  figures.  As  much  of  your  suc- 
cess will  depend  upon  the  non-adhesion  of  the  plaster  to  the 
model,  remember  the  oil  and  tallow. 

Mix  the  plaster  as  for  molds ; pour  into  the  mold  as  soon 
as  it  thickens  on  the  sides ; pour  out  that  which  remains,  if  you 
wish  your  mold  hollow. 

Should  you  wish  to  make  plaster  fruit,  you  must  cut'an  open- 
ing in  your  mold,  (while  it  is  fresh,  of  course,)  to  admit  the 
thin  plaster  being  poured  from  the  spout  of  the  vessel  in  which 
it  is  mixed. 


MOSS  WORK. 


259 


MOSS  WORK. 


OLLECTING  and  arranging,  in  va- 
rious forms  of  grace  and  beauty, 
the  delicate  and  many-colored 
mosses  with  which  our  fields  and 
forests  abound,  has  long  been  a 
favorite  pastime  with  all  lovers  of 
the  beautiful  in  nature.  A fertile 
imagination  and  inventive  mind 
will  readily  perceive  the  many  ob- 
jects for  which  moss  work  te  well 
adapted  — vases  neatly  and  tastefully  covered  with  delicate  mosses, 
arranged  with  an  eye  to  the  harmony  of  colors,  are  very  appropri- 
ate for  holding  dried  grasses;  crosses,  little  towers,  “ancient  and 
moss-grown,”  for  watch  stands ; frames  for  holding  collections  of 
leaves,  grasses,  or  flowers, — indeed,  it  is  needless  to  particularize. 
Beautiful  landscapes  can  be  made,  closely  resembling  nature. 

Collect  all  the  varieties  of  wood  moss,  beautiful  bits  of  bark, 
and  dried  leaves,  within  your  reach.  Make  a design,  perhaps  of 
a landscape,  in  which  are  ruins,  bridges,  rocks,  etc.  Paint  a sky 
as  in  water  colors,  then  cut  and  glue  thin  bits  of  bark  and  moss 
on  the  ruins  ; moss  on  the  rocks  ; dried  algse  or  forest  leaves  on 
the  distant  mountains,  and  the  bright- colored  and  green  mosses,  of 
various  hues,  on  the  foreground.  Such  a landscape  is  calculated 
to  draw  out  the  ingenuity  of  the  pupil,  and  requires  no  little 
study,  and  when  well  done,  is  a very  pleasant  picture.  Set  in  a 
deep  frame. 


260 


SEA  WEED. 


SEA  WEED. 


HE  sea  shore  is  an  inexhaustible 
source  of  pleasure  and  instruc- 
tion ; and  to  one  who  has  a taste 
for  the  beautiful,  or  who  loves  to 
search  out  the  wonders  of  the 
ocean,  and  trace  in  them  the  “foot- 
prints of  the  Creator,”  new  ave- 
nues are  constantly  being  opened 
for  the  acquisition  of  knowledge, 
and  the  means  of  rational  and 
elevating  pleasures. 

The  great  variety  of  sea  weeds,  their  beauty  and  delicacy,  and 
the  graceful  and  attractive  forms  in  which  they  can  be  arranged 
by  skillful  hands,  have  given  to  their  collection  and  arrangement  a 
deserved  popularity  among  all  frequenters  of  the  sea  shore  ; and  it 
is  a pleasant  sight  to  see  groups  of  children  and  adults,  wandering 
along  the  surf- worn  beach,  selecting  the  delicate  fringes  of  moss ; 
and  afterward,  to  see  the  fruit  of  their  labors  arranged  in  beautiful 
groupings,  their  bright  colors  well  preserved,  and  the  whole  form- 
ing a picture  pleasing  to  the  eye  and  elevating  to  the  taste. 

After  having  collected  your  sea  weeds,  throw  them  into  fresh 
water ; cut  a piece  of  paper  relative  to  the  size  of  the  weed,  oil  the 
surface,  and  put  it  under  the  weed  you  are  about  to  lay  out ; 
spread  with  a camel’s  hair  pencil,  or  pick  apart  with  a pin  ; we 
prefer  the  former.  Great  care,  patience,  and  delicacy  of  handling 
are  necessary  in  this  process,  for  much  of  the  beauty  of  the  specimen 
depends  upon  preserving  the  minute  thread-like  fibers  of  the  weed. 


SEA  WEED. 


261 


Trace  out  each  thread,  separating  them  all,  and  giving  them  such  a 
position  on  the  paper  as  will  show  the  plant  to  the  best  advantage. 
Then  gently  raise  the  paper  from  the  water,  holding  it  in  a slanting 
direction  to  let  the  water  run  off.  Then  put  in  press.  A good 
way  to  make  the  press  is  to  put  three  layers  of  blotting  paper  on 
a board,  and  upon  this  place  your  specimens ; over  this,  muslin  or 
linen,  and  over  that,  paper  again,  and  then  another  board.  Dry  the 
paper  and  cloths  above  if  necessary  to  facilitate  the  process. 

Take  your  specimens  from  the  papers  and  arrange  on  paper  in 
bouquets,  wreaths,  or  what  you  like,  adjusting  them  according  to 
the  different  colors,  and  thus  obtain  a pleasing  variety  ; secure  the 
ends  neatly  with  gum  arabic.  It  is  well  to  brush  over  the  coarser 
kinds  of  algae  with  spirits  of  turpentine,  in  which  a very  little  gum 
mastic  has  been  dissolved. 

Having  arranged  beautiful  specimens  of  moss  and  sea  weeds,  we 
sometimes  cut  a very  small  basket  through  the  middle,  and  sew  it 
on  the  paper  in  front  of  our  specimens ; then  we  fill  our  basket  with 
various  kinds  of  moss,  which,  standing  out  in  relief  against  that 
gummed  on  the  paper,  presents  a basket  of  moss  to  the  admiring 
eye  of  the  lover  of  nature. 

“ There ’s  beauty  in  the  sea.” 

A lady  of  our  acquaintance,  who  has  been  in  the  habit  of  spend- 
ing much  time  in  collecting  sea- weeds,  tells  us  that  she  filled  no 
less  than  forty  little  baskets  with  moss,  in  one  season,  for  presents 
to  friends.  We  are  so  happy  as  to  have  one  of  them  hanging 
in  our  parlor,  which  does  great  credit  to  the  artist,  so  beautiful  are 
the  combination  of  colors  and  the  delicacy  and  taste  displayed  in 
their  arrangement. 


262 


HAIR  WORK, 


HAIR  WORK. 

O make  hair  flowers  we  need  live 
hair,  that  is,  hair  from  the  head 
of  a living  person ; annealed 
wire,  very  fine ; pearl  or  gold 
beads,  scissors,  a pair  of  pinchers, 
a bit  of  whalebone,  and  knitting 
needles  of  three  sizes.  Brush  the 
hair  as  smoothly  as  possible,  and 
tie  in  bunches.  Double  a piece 
of  wire  in  the  middle,  and  twist 
about  two  inches. 

Let  us  begin  with  a leaf.  Take  the  twisted  wrire  between  the 
thumb  and  fore  finger  of  the  left  hand  for  a handle,  as  it  were ; 
fasten  to  this  the  ends  of  a thin  strand  of  smooth  hair  : (it  is  well 
to  draw  it  several  times  between  the  thumb  and  finger  to  make  it 
glossy,) 

Bend  the  ends  of  the  wire  to  the  right  and  left ; then,  holding 
the  end  of  a knitting  needle  horizontally  over  the  twist  of  the  wire, 
pass  the  strand  of  hair  around  the  needle,  and  fasten  it  by  crossing 
the  wires  below  to  the  right  and  left.  So  continue  till  you  have 
woven  sufficient  for  the  leaf.  Slip  from  the  needle,  and  you  have 
nice  loops  neatly  fastened  by  a fine  wire  much  resembling  gimp. 
Bend  this  into  the  desired  shape,  twist  the  ends  of  the  wire,  and 
cover  with  silk  braid  as  near  the  color  of  the  hair  as  possible. 
The  leaves  may  be  made  of  different  sizes,  and  varied  by  the  size  of 
the  knitting  needle. 

To  make  daisies,  asters,  etc.,  turn  this  looped  wire  round  and 
round  to  present  a flat  surface  ; make  firm  by  fine  wire  underneath. 


HAIR  WORK. 


263 


It  is  well  to  have  a pattern.  If  you  can  not  see  hair  flowers,  take 
natural  ones,  and  by  fastening  strands  of  hair  to  a wire,  and  binding 
with  floss,  endeavor  to  imitate  Nature. 

With  the  pinchers  you  make  your  wire  fast,  and  with  the  whale- 
bone you  obtain  the  desired  wfidth  of  a petal  by  laying  the  hair  over 
it.  Thus,  for  a pansy,  smooth  a short  strand  of  hair,  fasten  one  end 
to  a bit  of  wire,  then  pass  the  hair  over  the  whalebone,  winding  to 
the  same  wire,  but  lower  down ; this  makes  it  firm,  and  enables  you 
to  give  it  what  form  you  like,  by  bending  the  wire.  Make  five  of 
these  petals,  and  set  them  around  a wire  having  a pearl  bead  on 
its  end. 

Forget-me-not  is  a pretty  little  flower,  and  easy  to  make ; put 
a gold  bead  in  the  middle. 

Roses  require  much  time  and  great  care  ; buds  are  easily  made. 

Many  persons  moisten  the  hair  with  oil ; but  our  experience 
teaches  us  that  the  work  is  much  more  durable  and  neater  when 
smoothed  by  the  friction  of  the  fingers. 

As  it  is  often  necessary  to  economize  the  hair  as  much  as  possible, 
it  is  well  to  state  that  as  a general  rule  a piece  of  hair  work  is 
half  the  length  of  the  hairs  which  make  it.  If  you  have  but  a 
scant  pattern,  use  the  short  hairs  first,  not  the  shortest,  but  begin- 
ning with  those  perhaps  of  five  inches  in  length,  and  then  taking 
those  which  are  longer. 

Practice  in  this  art  is  of  more  value  than  precept.  The  artist 
will  find  the  difficulties  gradually  disappear  as  the  work  is  perse- 
vered in,  and  to  study  specimens  of  hair  vork,  now  so  common, 
will  assist  the  learner  in  many  points. 


264 


FEATHER  FLOWERS. 


FEATHER  FLOWERS. 


HOSE  who  are  so  fortunate  as  to 
have  in  their  possession  fine 
feathers  can  certainly  make  fine 
flowers.  Have  at  hand  gum  in 
solution,  French  paper  for  wind- 
ing stems,  and  wire  of  different 
sizes.  Draw  the  under  side  of 
the  feather  gently  over  the  edge 
of  your  penknife  to  bend  it  in 
the  required  direction ; make  a 


lump  of  bookbinder’s  thick  paste  or  wax  on  the  end  of  a wire  for 
a stalk,  and  begin  your  flower  by  sticking  the  smallest  sized  feathers 
into  it  for  a center ; place  other  feathers  of  the  same  kind,  but 
larger  in  size,  around  in  order.  Choose  green  feathers  for  leaves 
and  calyx,  and  pure  white  ones  for  japonicas  and  white  roses. 
Twist  the  ends  of  the  same  on  a wire,  and  make  fast  with  gum, 
glue,  paste,  or  other  similar  adhesive  substance.  Be  careful  to 
select  feathers  of  the  same  kind  for  the  same  flower.  Arrange  in  a 
vase,  and  cover  to  keep  free  from  dust.  In  this,  as  in  all  kinds  of 
fancy  work,  let  taste  and  neatness  govern  the  process. 

It  will  often  be  found  necessary  to  color  the  feathers  to  give  the 
desired  variety  of  hues  ; and  this  can  easily  be  done  by  attending  to 
the  following  directions  : Put  the  feathers  into  hot  water,  then  drain 
them  ; rinse  two  or  three  times  in  clear  cold  water  ; place  them  on 
a tray,  over  which  a cloth  has  been  spread,  before  a good  fire ; as 
they  dry,  draw  them  gently  into  shape  between  the  thumb  and  finger. 

To  dye  Feathers  blue.  — Into  about  three  cents’  worth  of  oil  of 
vitriol  mix  as  much  of  the  best  indigo  in  powder  ; let  it  stand  one 


FEATHER  FLOWERS. 


265 


or  two  days.  When  wanted  for  use,  shake  it  well,  and  into  a 
quart  of  boiling  water  put  one  table-spoonful  of  the  liquid.  Stir 
well,  put  the  feathers  in,  and  let  them  simmer  a few  minutes. 

Yellow . — Put  a table- spoonful  of  the  best  turmeric  into  a quart 
of  boiling  water  ; when  well  mixed,  put  in  the  feathers.  More  or 
less  turmeric  gives  different  shades. 

For  orange , add  a small  quantity  of  soda  to  the  preparation  for 
yellow. 

Pink.  — Three  good  pink  saucers  to  a quart  of  boiling  water, 
with  a small  quantity  of  cream  of  tartar.  If  a deep  color  is  re- 
quired, use  four  saucers.  Let  the  feathers  remain  in  this  dye  sev- 
eral hours. 

Red.  — Dissolve  a tea- spoonful  of  cream  of  tartar  in  a quart  of 
boiling  water ; put  in  one  tea-spoonful  of  prepared  cochineal,  and 
then  a few  drops  of  muriate  of  tin.  This  dye  is  expensive ; there- 
fore use  the  plumage  of  the  bird  ibis. 

Lilac.  — About  two  tea-spoonfuls  of  cudbear  in  a quart  of 
boiling  water ; let  it  simmer  a few  minutes  before  you  put  in  the 
feathers.  A small  quantity  of  cream  of  tartar  turns  the  color  from 
lilac  to  amethyst. 

Bunches  of  orange  blossoms  can  be  made  with  good  success  in 
feathers ; the  buds  are  to  be  made  of  starch  and  gum  mixed ; the 
stamens  of  ground  rice,  colored  with  turmeric,  into  which  the 
gummed  ends  of  manilla  grass  have  been  dipped. 

The  “untutored  savages”  of  the  Pacific  Islands  make  beautiful 
feather  flowers,  rivaling  the  natural  ones  in  delicacy  and  beauty. 
Pinks,  orange  blossoms,  and  roses  of  exquisite  workmanship  are 
often  brought  from  these  “heathen  lands”  which  would  put  to  the 
blush  our  most  accomplished  artists.  Old  ostrich  feathers  can  be 
made  to  look  as  well  as  new  by  holding  over  hot  steam,  then  draw- 
ing each  vane  of  the  feather  separately  over  a knife  to  curl  it. 

23 


266 


CONE  WORK. 


CONE  WORK. 

ELECT  good  clear  cones,  and  dis- 
sect some  which  have  handsome, 
large  scales,  and  brush  them  clean ; 
lay  nice  white  putty,  or  a similar 
adhesive  substance,  smoothly  on 
your  frame  ; set  into  this  putty 
whole  cones,  large  and  small,  in 
such  figures  as  suit  your  taste, 
and  fill  up  the  entire  groundwork 
with  the  scales,  lapping  one  neatly 
over  the  other. 

Cut  oval  and  round  frames  for  light  pictures,  from  bookbinder’s 
pasteboard,  and  cover  with  the  scales  in  layers  or  rows.  Scallop 
the  edges  with  small  whole  cones,  set  in  large  cones  surrounded 
by  little  ones  equidistant,  if  the  frame  be  broad,  and  fill  in  with 
the  scales.  When  dry,  take  out  those  which  are  not  firm,  and 
replace.  Add  acorns  ad  libitum.  Yarnish  the  whole  once  or  twice. 
If  you  wish  something  nice,  go  over  every  part  with  a fine  brush, 
and  leave  no  varnish  standing  in  drops. 

Cones  can  be  found  by  almost  any  one  in  an  hour’s  walk  through 
pine  woods.  Indeed,  if  one  has  a taste  for  the  beautiful,  and  is 
quick  in  perception,  it  is  impossible  to  ramble  through  woods  and 
fields  without  finding  many  curiosities  in  the  shape  of  mosses, 
grasses,  cones,  etc. 


SHELL  WORK. 


267 


SHELL  WORK. 

IS  is  very  pretty  for  vases,  frames, 
boxes,  etc.  Many  shell  flowers, 
animals,  birds,  and  the  like,  are 
brought  here  from  the  Mediter- 
ranean. We  have  seen  some  that 
we  would  like  to  own ; but  in 
general  they  have  a stiff  appear- 
ance. However,  we  will  tell  you 
how  they  are  made. 

Assort  your  shells  according  to 
size  and  color  — the  more  rice  and  other  small  shells  you 
have,  the  better,,  Melt  white  wax  and  glue  together,  two  parts 
of  the  former  and  one  of  the  latter.  Have  a clear  idea  of  what 
you  intend  to  do ; or,  what  is  better,  make  a pattern  before 
you  begin  to  set  your  shells.  If  you  will  ornament  a box,  a rose 
in  the  center  looks  well.  Take  thin  round  shells,  those  most 
resembling  rose  leaves,  of  the  smaller  size,  and  dipping  the  lower 
ends  in  the  hot  wax  mixture,  set  them  close  together  for  the 
center  of  a rose ; place  other  similar  shaped  shells  around  in 
circles,  the  largest  outward.  Care  must  be  taken  to  form  the 
shells  into  perfect  circles,  and  to  take  up  wax  enough  to  make 
them  adhere  to  the  cover.  Shells  of  different  form,  say  more 
oblong,  can  be  used  for  leaves.  After  arranging  such  figures  as 
you  like  with  the  shells  you  have,  fill  up  the  spaces  with  the  very 
small  ones.  Rice  shells  are  the  prettiest,  but  they  are  costly.  Some 
prefer  sticking  the  shells  into  a puttied  surface,  which  does  very 
well.  Varnish  with  a very  little  copal  varnish,  using  great  care. 


268 


SHELL  WORK. 


Animals  are  made  of  thick  pasteboard,  or  turned  in  wood,  and 
covered  with  one  kind  of  shell. 

Shell  Flowers.  — The  basis  of  each  large  flower  is  a piece  of 
thick  round  pasteboard.  The  shells  for  petals  are  sometimes 
tinged  with  water  color,  and  the  leaves  made  of  green  paper.  Del- 
icate sprays  are  made  by  threading  small  shells  on  fine  wire. 
Thus  made,  with  half  a dozen  huge  black  berries  of  wax  on  the 
top,  in  a vase  all  covered  with  shells,  it  will  pass  for  the  imported 
article. 

Ornaments  for  the  hair  are  made  from  rice  shells,  thus : File 
down  the  conical  end  of  the  shell,  and  clean  out  the  opposite  end 
with  a pin ; pass  a silver  wire  (a  guitar  string)  through  the  filed 
end,  bring  it  down  and  twist  for  a stalk.  From  fifteen  to  twenty 
pairs  on  one  branch,  neatly  covered  with  white  or  green  silk  floss. 
Two  or  three  such  stalks  of  different  lengths  are  sufficient. 

Satin  beads  wired  with  a guitar  string,  and  wound  in  pairs  to 
form  sprigs,  with  now  and  then  a tendril,  are  beautiful  for  evening 
dress. 

In  almost  every  family,  enough  shells,  small  and  appropriate,  can 
be  found  to  make  some  ornamental  article.  Sea  captains  bring 
home  valuable  collections ; and  who  among  our  readers  has  not 
some  friends  or  acquaintances  who  “ go  down  to  the  sea  in 
ships  ” ? 


WILD  TAMARIND  SEED  WORK. 


269 


WILD  TAMARIND  SEED  WORK. 

E wild  tamarind  seeds  are  brought 
into  our  market  from  the  West 
Indies.  They  are  about  the  size 
and  color  of  apple  seeds,  but  hard 
as  stone.  We  tried  various  chem- 
ical solutions  to  soften  them,  but 
in  vain  ; finally,  we  soaked  them 
in  air- slaked  lime  some  eight  or 
ten  hours,  then  wiped  them  with 
a rag  wet  in  sweet  oil.  After  this 
process  they  were  soft  enough  to  admit  of  being  pierced  by  a needle. 

Our  lady  friends  used  them,  with  gold  and  silver  beads,  for 
purses,  bags,  baskets,  bracelets,  ear-drops,  etc.  When  dried  they 
returned  to  their  pristine  hardness,  and  formed  durable  and  useful 
ornaments. 

Seeds  of  Cucumber  and  Musk  Melon  can  be  worked  with  steel  beads 
so  as  to  make  handsome  dress  bags  and  table  ornaments.  They 
should  be  lined  with  silk  appropriate  to  the  beads ; for  example,  a 
rich  green,  cherry  color,  or  black. 

A person  of  taste  can  make  many  very  pretty  things  by  arranging 
the  seeds  and  varying  the  beads.  Try  it  for  bags,  mats,  catchalls, 
baskets,  plates,  and  table  ornaments. 

23* 


270 


IMITATION  PEARL  WORK. 


IMITATION  PEARL  WORK  EOR  EMBROIDERY. 

We  do  not  think  that  a preparation  of  fish  scales  has  ever 
been  used  in  this  country  instead  of  the  so  much  admired  pearl ; 
and  so  we  give  it  to  our  readers,  knowing  that  they  will  like  some- 
thing entirely  new. 

Take  the  shining  scales  from  a carp,  or  any  other  fish  — the  larger 
the  scales,  the  better  ; put  them  in  strong  salt  water  over  night ; 
lay  them  on  a linen  cloth  or  smooth  board ; wipe  them  carefully 
on  both  sides,  and  lay  them  between  clean,  strong  paper,  under  a 
board,  on  which  place  a weight ; let  them  remain  a day  or  two, 
until  the  scales  are  pressed  dry  and  become  hard.  Draw  some- 
thing, say  an  ivy  leaf,  on  strong  drawing  paper  ; cut  it  out,  and 
lay  it  on  each  scale  as  a pattern  by  which  to  cut  the  scales  with 
very  fine  scissors.  Such  a pattern,  however,  is  superfluous  to  per- 
sons acquainted  with  drawing,  who  can  cut  leaves  of  that  kind 
without  one.  Vein  your  scale  leaves  with  a fine  steel  needle ; do 
it  slowly,  bearing  on  hard  to  give  clearness : the  leaves  are  now 
ready. 

Stretch  a rich,  dark- colored  silk  velvet  tightly  in  an  embroidery 
frame ; place  the  pattern,  which  you  intend  to  copy,  before  you, 
and  imitate  it  by  sewing  the  scale  leaves,  one  at  a time,  on  the 
velvet,  with  fine  gold  thread,  and  the  leaf  stalks  and  tendrils  em- 
broidered with  the  same.  It  is  well  to  draw  the  thread  through 
water  before  using  it,  to  render  it  flexible. 

The  beautiful  effect  produced  by  this  simple  process  fully  repays 
one  for  the  trouble.  That  manifold  changes  may  be  made  accord- 
ing to  the  taste  and  ingenuity  of  the  copyist,  is  evident  to  the 
reader. 


PAPER  FLOWERS. 


271 


PAPER  FLOWERS. 


CCASIONALLY  we  see  very  hand- 
some paper  flowers  ; but  then  they 
are  made  by  persons  of  taste  with 
great  care,  and  from  the  best  of 
French  tissue  paper. 

Dip  a large  camel’s  hair  pencil 
in  thin  gum  arabic,  and  brush 
quickly  over  the  whole  surface  of 
the  paper  from  which  you  intend 
to  cut  your  flower ; this  fills  the 
pores  of  the  paper,  and  gives  it  a little  stiffness. 

Cut  roses,  japonicas,  etc.,  from  paper  patterns  ; then  paint  with 
water  color.  Form  the  petal  with  your  fingers  and  a pair  of  scis- 
sors. Cut  a fringe  of  yellow  paper  for  stamens.  Make  your  leaves 
and  calyx  of  green  tissue  paper,  well  sized  with  gum.  Cover  fine 
well-annealed  wire  with  green  paper  for  stalks,  and  fasten  the  parts 
of  the  flower  together  with  gum. 

For  a daisy,  chrysanthemum,  or  aster,  double  the  paper  two  or 
three  times ; cut  down  two  thirds  ; roll  the  uncut  side  firmly  round 
and  round  the  bent  end  of  a piece  of  wire  suitable  for  the  stalk. 

Buds,  pericarps,  etc.,  are  made  either  by  stuffing  with  a bit  of 
cotton,  or  winding  up  paper. 

Variegated  pinks  look  well.  Paint  strips  of  paper  in  splashes 
here  and  there,  as  you  see  on  the  petal  of  the  carnation  — some  very 
dark  carmine,  some  merely  light  touches.  Cut  off  suitable  width 
for  petals,  and  wind  around  a paper  center.  Take  natural  flowers 
for  models. 


(273) 


HIS  style  of  imitating  the  Chinese,  Porcelain, 
Sevres,  Japanese,  and  other  kinds  of  vases,  is 
quite  simple,  and  if  the  following  directions 
are  closely  adhered  to,  no  difficulty  will  present  itself. 

Choose  such  a glass  vase  as  will  be  adapted  to  the  style  you 
mean  to  imitate,  which  can  be  readily  obtained,  with  the  mate- 
rials described,  of  the  publishers  of  this  book.  With  fine-pointed 
scissors,  cut  the  paper  close  to  the  figures  you  use,  which  may 
be  flowers,  birds,  or  Chinese  figures  of  bright  colors,  which  are 
imported  in  variety  for  this  purpose.  After  you  have  cut  out 
what  you  need,  and  have  determined  their  arrangement,  gum  them 

(275) 


276 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  POTICHOMANIE. 


on  the  face  several  times,  until  they  are  damped  through  and 
softened,  letting  them  remain  until  the  gum  thickens  a little ; 
then  press  them  closely  to  the  glass  till  every  spot  adheres,  for 
otherwise  white  spots  will  appear,  which  disfigure  the  work. 
Many  use  Antique  varnish  now  instead  of  gum,  applying  as  in 
the  instructions  for  that  style  of  work ; though  more  difficult,  it 
is  a far  better  method,  both  as  it  is  likely  to  be  more  durable, 
and  also  more  beautiful.  When  the  figures  all  adhere,  and  are 
dry,  apply  gently  to  the  back,  and  on  the  edges  of  the  work,  a 
thin  coat  of  gum.  This  will  stop  all  varnish  or  paint  from  running 
between  the  figures  and  glass.  Again,  when  it  is  dry,  varnish 
over  with  Antique  varnish  ; or  with  Mastic  or  Outside  varniffi, 
only,  if  you  use  either  of  the  latter,  varnish  only  where  you  last 
gummed.  After  this  is  dry,  paint  the  inside  over  with  the  ground 
color,  which  should  be  always  a pale  tint,  greenish  white,  bluish 
white,  slight  rose  white,  or,  what  contrasts  better  with  the  figures 
generally  used,  a pale  yellow,  or  pine  color  slightly  brown. 

Another  way  of  making  a beautiful  style  is,  to  take  the  common 
kind  of  potter’s  ware,  and  gum  the  figures  on  the  outside  instead 
of  inside ; then  gum  the  face  and  varnish,  and  afterward  paint 
between  the  figures  the  ground  you  wish,  with  a small  pencil, 
generally  reddish  brown,  dark  blue,  etc.  These  colors  may  be 
mixed  with  oil,  varnish,  or  enameled  ; the  best  material  readily 
obtained  is  fine  zinc  paint,  tinted,  and  mixed  with  Outside  varnish. 
The  tints  may  be  made  by  mixing  the  Oriental  colors  spoken  of  in 
directions  to  that  style. 

This  art  of  ornamenting  glass  originated  in  France ; and  from 
the  easy  method  of  gaining  a beautiful  effect,  soon  became  a favor- 
ite source  of  employment  for  those  who  had  leisure  time,  and  a 
profitable  art  to  those  who  made  a business  of  it.  By  it,  glass 
vases  appear  like  richly  painted  porcelain,  so  much  so,  that,  when 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  POTICHOMANIE. 


277 


carefully  done,  it  would  deceive  any  but  the  initiated.  The  process 
is  perfectly  simple,  and  has  one  thing  to  recommend  it  strongly 
to  those  who  can  only  work  in  “ snatches ,”  as  it  can  be  put  down 
and  taken  up  at  any  moment  without  injury.  By  observing  the 
following  directions  closely,  no  difficulty  will  be  found  by  the 
most  ordinary  manipulator. 

1st.  Select  the  pictures,  either  in  sheets  or  otherwise ; go  over  the 
back  with  a strong  coating  of  isinglass,  taking  care  to  cover  every 
part. 

2d.  When  they  are  dry,  select  those  wanted  for  use,  and  cut 
them  out  carefully,  so  as  to  have  them  in  good  shape  and  no  paper 
seen. 

3d.  WTien  you  have  as  many  as  you  want,  arrange  them  on 
the  table,  in  the  order  you  wish  to  have  them  on  the  vase,  num- 
bering them,  if  requisite,  on  the  back  to  prevent  any  mistake 
when  placing  them  on  the  vase. 

4th.  See  that  the  vase  is  perfectly  clean,  and  free  from  spot 
or  stain ; wet  the  front  side  of  your  pictures  with  gum  tragacanth 
or  gum  arabic,  and  press  them  carefully  with  the  flat  of  the  nail 
against  the  inner  side  of  the  vase. 

5th.  When  all  is  completed,  and  the  vase  submitted  to  a close 
scrutiny,  to  ascertain  whether  all  the  pictures  keep  their  places, 
and  whether  there  are  any  finger  marks  to  remove,  — if  every  thing 
is  satisfactory,  then  mix  your  tint  for  grounding;  it  is  better  to 
mix  up  as  much  as  will  coat  the  entire  over  twice,  so  as  to  have  it 
solid. 

6th.  WTien  the  color  is  thoroughly  mixed,  apply  it  with  a soft 
camel’s  hair  brush,  (a  one  inch  flat  camel’s  hair  is  the  best,)  begin- 
ning at  the  bottom,  and  working  carefully  so  as  to  cover  every  part 
equally. 


278 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  POTICHOMANIE. 


7th.  Allow  a day  or  two  to  intervene,  then  coat  it  over  again,  so 
as  to  make  it  perfectly  solid. 

These  we  consider  quite  sufficient  directions  to  work  from. 

In  the  fourth  direction,  two  gums  are  named.  We  prefer  using 
gum  tragacanth,  and  would  strongly  recommend  the  manipulator 
to  be  exceedingly  careful  in  the  process  of  sticking  the  figures  on ; 
to  be  sure  that  the  edges  are  securely  fastened ; to  look  at  them 
occasionally  afterward,  and  if  any  little  corner  is  found  raised  up, 
pertinaciously  to  insist  upon  its  being  fast  down  before  leaving  it. 
We  dwell  upon  this,  and  make  an  important  point  of  it,  because 
so  much  depends  upon  it  — whether  your  work  is  good  and  per- 
fect in  shape,  or  blotched  and  deformed  with  paint,  as  the  least 
rising  up  of  the  picture  makes  an  entrance  for  the  coating  paint  to 
flow  in. 

The  reason  we  recommend  the  coating  of  isinglass  on  the  back 
of  the  picture  is,  some  paper  is  not  sufficiently  compact  to  resist 
the  effect  of  oil  paint,  but  with  a coating  of  isinglass  the  picture 
is  sure  to  retain  its  beauty.  The  isinglass  should  be  put  on 
warm.  A few  of  the  best  delicate  tints  for  coating  are  as  follows  : 
Pearl  — white  with  very  little  black  ; Buff — white  lead  or  zinc 
white  with  a little  deep  chrome' ; Pale  Blue  — white  or  zinc  white 
with  a little  ultramarine ; Salmon  — white  or  zinc  white  with  a 
trifle  mineral  red ; Fawn  — white  or  zinc  white  tinted  with  burnt 
sienna;  Pea  Green,  Emerald  Green — white  and  a very  little  pale 
chrome;  Chocolate  — Indian  red  and  Vandyke  brown;  Pink  — 
white  and  pink  madder  ; Red  Pink  — white  and  a little  vermilion. 
Any  of  these  colors  can  be  procured  at  paint  shops,  or  of  the  pub- 
lishers of  this  book,  in  packages  to  suit,  mixed  in  their  usual  way, 
with  oil  and  turpentine,  same  as  regular  house  painting,  (inside 
nice  work.)  For  pink,  we  would  recommend  tube  paints  of  Win- 


TRANSPARENCIES. 


279 


sor  and  Newton,  flake  white,  and  rose  or  pink  madder,  thinned 
with  turpentine. 

Ground  Glass  Imitation.  — A good  imitation  of  ground  glass 
can  be  made  by  coating  the  vase  thinly  over  with  white  and  dab- 
bing it  with  a delicate  piece  of  chamois  leather  rolled  up  into  a 
small  ball. 

Imitation  of  Alabaster.  — - Alabaster  can  be  imitated  in  the 
same  way,  only  coating  the  vase  a little  thicker  with  the  paint. 


TO  MAKE  TRANSPARENCIES. 


,AKE  some  prettily  colored  landscape,  and  cut  a slit 
I into  the  broad  lights  of  it  with  a penknife ; put  a white 
paper  of  medium  thickness  behind  it,  and  interline  with 
orange  or  rose-colored  paper ; bind  the  three  — that  is, 
the  landscape,  the  colored  paper,  and  the  paper  which 
forms  the  back  — - together  with  some  suitable  color  for 
a frame  ; now  separate  the  cut  edges  of  your  landscape 
by  pressing  them  apart.  Hang  up  in  the  window,  and  when  the 
sun  shines  through,  the  effect  is  beautiful.  Try  it ; we  are  sure 
you  will  be  pleased. 

An  engraving  prepared  as  for  Grecian  painting  is  very  pretty 
for  a screen,  or  to  hang  in  the  window.  Lamp  shades  may  be 
made  in  this  way,  and  many  pretty  designs  will  suggest  them- 
selves ; bouquets,  wreaths,  vines,  running  round  the  shade,  etc. 
Also  still  more  beautiful  is  the  antique  style,  before  painting. 


280 


LEAF  IMPRESSIONS. 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  TAKING  LEAF  IMPRESSIONS. 


OLD  oiled  paper  in  the  smoke  of  a lamp,  or  of  pitch, 
until  it  becomes  coated  with  the  smoke  ; to  this  paper 
apply  the  leaf  of  which  you  wish  an  impression,  having 
previously  warmed  it  between  your  hands,  that  it  may 
be  pliable ; place  the  lower  surface  of  the  leaf  upon  the 
blackened  surface  of  the  oiled  paper,  that  the  numerous 
veins  that  are  so  prominent  on  this  side  may  receive 
from  the  paper  a portion  of  the  smoke  ; lay  a paper  over  the  leaf, 
and  then  press  it  gently  upon  the  smoked  paper,  with  the  fingers 
or  with  a small  roller,  (covered  with  woolen  cloth,  or  some  like 
soft  material,)  so  that  every  part  of  the  leaf  may  come  in  contact 
with  the  sooted  oil  paper.  A coating  of  the  smoke  will  adhere  to 
the  leaf.  Then  remove  the  leaf  carefully,  and  place  the  blackened 
surface  on  a piece  of  white  paper,  not  ruled,  or  in  a book  prepared 
for  the  purpose,  covering  the  leaf  with  a clean  slip  of  paper,  and 
pressing  upon  it  with  the  fingers  or  roller,  as  before.  Thus  may 
be  obtained  the  impression  of  a leaf,  showing  the  perfect  outlines, 
together  with  an  accurate  exhibition  of  the  veins  which  extend  in 
every  direction  through  it,  more  correctly  than  the  finest  drawing. 
And  this  process  is  so  simple,  and  the  materials  so  easily  obtained, 
that  any  person,  with  a little  practice  to  enable  him  to  apply  the 
right  quantity  of  smoke  to  the  oil  paper  and  give  the  leaf  a proper 
pressure,  can  prepare  beautiful  leaf  impressions,  such  as  a nat- 
uralist would  be  proud  to  possess. 

Specimens  thus  prepared  can  be  neatly  preserved  in  a book 
form,  interleaving  the  impressions  with  tissue  paper. 


BOTANICAL  SPECIMENS. 


281 


TO  DRY  BOTANICAL  SPECIMENS  FOR  PRESERVA- 
TION. 


i HE  plants  you  wish  to  preserve  should  be  gathered  when 
the  weather  is  dry  ; and  after  placing  the  ends  in  water, 
let  them  remain  in  a cool  place  till  the  next  day.  When 
about  to  be  submitted  to  the  process  of  drying,  place 
each  plant  between  several  sheets  of  blotting  paper, 
and  iron  it  with  a large  smooth  heater  pretty  strongly 
warmed,  till  all  the  moisture  is  dissipated.  Colors  may 
thus  be  fixed  which  otherwise  become  pale  or  nearly  white. 

Some  plants  require  more  moderate  heat  than  others,  and  herein 
consists  the  nicety  of  the  experiment ; but  I have  generally  found, 
that  if  the  iron  be  not  too  hot,  and  is  passed  rapidly,  yet  care- 
fully, over  the  surface  of  the  blotting  paper,  it  answers  the  purpose 
equally  well  with  plants  of  almost  every  variety  of  hue  and  thick- 
ness. In  compound  flowers,  with  those  also  of  a stubborn  and 
solid  form,  some  little  care  and  skill  are  required  in  cutting  away 
the  under  part,  by  which  means  the  profile  and  forms  of  the  flow- 
ers will  be  more  distinctly  exhibited.  This  is  especially  neces- 
sary -when  the  method  employed  by  Major  Velley  is  adopted,  viz., 
to  fix  the  flowers  and  fruit  down  securely  with  gum  upon  the 
paper,  previous  to  ironing,  by  which  means  they  become  almost 
incorporated  with  the  surface.  When  this  very  delicate  process  is 
attempted,  blotting  paper  should  be  laid  under  every  part  except- 
ing the  blossoms,  in  order  to  prevent  staining  the  white  paper. 
Great  care  must  be  taken  to  keep  preserved  specimens  in  a dry 
place,  and  also  to  handle  them  gently ; and  thus  they  can  be  kept 
a long  time,  affording  a source  of  great  pleasure. 

24* 


282 


DECALCOMANIE. 


DECALCOMANIE 

Is  another  name  for  a style  of  decorating  that  has 
been  in  vogue  an  indefinite  time,  and  comes  under  the 
head  of  transferring. 

It  is  almost  superfluous  to  mention  the  variety  of  pur- 
poses to  which  Decalcomanie  may  be  applied  : it  can  be 
transferred  upon  every  thing  to  which  ornamentation  is 
required  ; and  the  variety  of  designs  which  are  printed 
specially  for  it  are  so  numerous,  that  some  thing  or  other 
may  be  procured  that  will  suit  the  taste  of  the  most  fas- 
tidious. 

A few  of  the  articles  that  may  be  decorated  can  be 
mentioned,  by  way  of  showing  what  a variety  this  style 
will  embrace : all  kinds  of  crockery,  china,  porcelain, 
vases,  glass,  book-covers,  folios,  boxes  of  all  kinds, 
&c. 

The  method  of  transferring  beautiful  designs  is  so 
simple,  and  all  the  material  requisite  for  the  *art  so 
reasonable,  that  it  brings  it  within  the  means  of  “ tout  le 
monde.” 

Flat  surfaces  are  more  suitable  for  this  style  ; for,  if 


DECALCOMANIE. 


283 


the  surface  present  a concave  or  convex,  the  design  has 
to  be  cut,  and  the  beauty  of  the  subject  may  be  endan- 
gered to  accommodate  the  shape. 

Articles  Requisite.  — Cement  same  as  for  Diapha- 
nie,  copal- varnish,  designs,  a duck-quill  sable,  and  a flat 
camel’ s-hair  brush. 

Directions.  — Cut  out  your  designs  neatly  with  a 
small  pair  of  scissors  ; apply  the  cement  by  means  of 
your  small  sable,  and  apply  it  to  the  article  to  be  deco- 
rated ; place  on  your  design,  and  press  equally  all  over 
to  exclude  the  air;  damp  it  a little,  and  keep  pressing 
equally,  so  that  the  design  may  adhere  firmly  in  every 
part ; when  the  cement  is  sufficiently  dry,  which  will  be 
soon,  damp  again  with  water  a little  more  freely,  and 
remove  the  paper.  Be  careful  in  manipulating  this  pro- 
cess : if  you  are  not,  you  may  remove  some  of  the  colored 
part  with  it.  If  such  should  occur,  instantly  replace  it 
as  well  as  you  are  able  ; sometimes  this  can  not  be  done. 
If  such  an  accident  should  occur,  and  you  possess  a 
knowledge  of  Oriental  painting,  your  panacea  will  be  in 
that : you  can  retouch  with  those  colors,  and  bring  it 
back  nearly  to  its  original  beauty  ; in  fact,  a knowledge 
of  Oriental  painting  and  papier  mache  is  an  “ open 


284 


DECALCOMANIE. 


sesame  ” to  almost  all  the  styles  treated  by  Prof.  Day, 
such  as  painting  on  rice-paper,  signs,  magic-lanterns, 
glass,  heraldic  emblazonry,  illuminatory  diaphanie,  imi- 
tation of  ebony-inlaying,  &c. 

In  case  you  have  no  Oriental  knowledge,  match  the 
colors  as  near  as  possible  with  water-color  paints  ; allow 
time  to  dry,  and  varnish  with  copal. 

Sometimes  the  cement  becomes  too  thick  for  use.  It 
may  be  restored  to  its  proper  flowing  consistency  by 
placing  your  bottle  in  a warm  bed  of  sand,  and  applying 
it  while  warm. 

If  you  have  to  apply  your  design  to  a ground-work 
that  is  dark,  it  would  be  advisable  to  give  your  picture  a 
coat  of  white,  — Winsor  and  Newton’s  Chinese  white  ; 
the  reason  for  which  is,  some  parts  of  the  pictures  are 
semi-transparent,  and  if  impasted  on  a dark  ground 
they  would  lose  part  of  their  beauty  ; but,  by  giving  it  a 
coat  of  white  before  transferring,  it  retains  its  brilliancy. 


DIAPHANIE. 


285 


DIAPHANIE. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  specify  the  purposes  to 
which  this  invention  may  be  applied.  Windows,  lamp- 
shades, fire-screens,  and,  indeed,  all  other  uses  for  which 
stained  and  ornamented  glass  is  ordinarily  employed, 
completely  superseding  the  clumsy  wire  and  other  blinds. 
As  a pleasing  occupation  for  ladies  and  gentlemen,  the 
work  is  one  of  the  most  useful  and  beautiful  of  the  imi- 
tative arts.  Cleanliness  and  the  comparatively  small 
cost  of  the  materials  used  also  recommend  it  to  the 
attention  of  those  who  have  leisure,  either  for  amuse- 
ment or  for  the  purpose  of  profit,  as  windows  in 
churches,  halls,  conservatories,  &c.,  may  be  decorated 
in  any  style,  ancient  or  modern,  and  made  to  appear  of 
great  beauty  and  value. 

The  unsightly  view  of  walls,  chimneys,  &c.,  from 
staircase-windows,  so  frequently  an  annoyance  to  the 
eye  in  houses  situated  in  towns,  may  be  completely  ex- 
cluded without  materially  interfering  with  the  light,  and 
that  agreeable  appearance  given  to  an  apartment  which 
stained  glass  invariably  imparts. 


286 


DIAPHANIE. 


The  designs  used  for  this  work  are  produced  by  new 
processes  in  lithography,  and  possess  all  the  richness 
and  fullness  of  color  obtained  by  the  most  expensive  art 
of  glass-staining. 

The  materials  used  in  the  work  are  as  follows : 
Glass  to  decorate,  prints  or  designs,  a roller,  a bottle  of 
clearing-liquid,  a bottle  of  washable  varnish,  a few 
brushes,  and  a bottle  of  vitreous  cement. 

The  roller  is  employed  to  press  the  paper  upon  the 
glass,  to  remove  the  bubbles  of  air : this  can  not  be  ac- 
complished without  much  difficulty  by  any  other  means, 
as  the  paper  is  apt  to  tear ; which,  of  course,  spoils  the 
picture. 

Observations.  — In  decorating  a window,  the  effect 
as  a whole  is  to  be  considered.  For  example,  the  posi- 
tion of  a window  : if  at  a distance  or  elevation  from  the 
eye,  the  design  should  be  bold.  Avoid,  particularly  if 
the  panes  be  small,  crowding  each  pane  with  little  de- 
signs : the  window-frames  should  not  be  made  conspicu- 
ous by  putting  a border  round  each  frame  ; but  the  same 
grounding  should  be  used,  as  a rule,  and  the  border 
placed  round  the  whole  window,  so  as  to  make  it  appear 
one  window,  and  not  a number  of  little  ones.  Neither 


DIAPHANIE, 


287 


should  the  different  styles  be  mixed.  Frequently  parts  of 
several  sheets  are  used  to  form  one  window  : they  should 
be  chosen  with  some  regard  to  the  harmony  of  polors. 

The  smallness  of  the  cost,  and  the  greater  ease  with 
which  the  operations  are  performed,  render  it  desirable 
to  use  separate  glass,  cut  to  the  size  of  the  window  ; and, 
when  finished,  they  may  be  fixed  in  the  sash  or  frame 
with  a few  brads,  a bead,  or  any  similar  contrivance. 
However,  windows  already  fixed,  if  within  reach,  may 
be  decorated  without  being  removed,  but  it  is  more 
difficult. 

One  advantage  in  using  separate  pieces  of  glass  is, 
that  in  cleaning  there  is  no  liability  of  damage  ; besides, 
they  may  be  removed  at  pleasure.  Common  sheet-glass, 
flat,  free  from  specks  and  bubbles,  should  be  selected. 

Instructions.  — Clean  the  glass,  and  lay  it  flat  upon 
a folded  cloth  ; and,  having  obtained  the  necessary  mate- 
rials, cut  out  the  medallions  or  subjects  (unless  the 
paper  is  to  be  applied  in  one  piece),  and  proceed  to  ar- 
range and  fasten  it  in  its  appointed  place  in  the  manner 
hereinafter  described. 

If  there  is  to  be  a border,  that  is  to  be  next  attended 
to.  This  finished,  damp  the  printed  side  of  the  ground- 


288 


DIAPHANIE. 


ing-paper,  and  lay  it  over.  Raise  one  end  of  the  glass, 
and,  looking  through  it,  you  will  perceive  the  exact  posi- 
tion the  subject  and  border  occupy ; trace  round  them 
carefully  with  a blacklead-pencil : remove  the  ground- 
ing, and  cut  it  out,  taking  care  to  cut  a trifle  within  the 
pencil-marks,  so  that  the  ground  may  overlap  the  subject 
a little. 

When  this  is  done,  thoroughly  damp  the  uncolored 
side  of  the  paper  with  sponge  and  cold  water ; turn  it 
over,  and  apply  a generous  coating  of  vitreous  cement  to 
the  colored  surface  with  a flat  camel’s-hair  brush  of 
moderate  width,  and  at  once  apply  the  cemented  side  to 
the  glass,  pressing  it  down  with  the  roller,  commencing 
at  the  center,  and  gradually  passing  to  the  edges,  which 
should  cause  the  superfluity  of  cement  to  ooze  out  a lit- 
tle. This  effectually  removes  all  air-bubbles  ; and,  if  the 
cement  has  been  properly  applied,  no  difficulty  will 
occur.  Keep  the  white  side  damp  during  this  operation. 

See  that  your  roller  works  well  before  you  commence, 
or  your  work  may  be  irrecoverably  spoiled.  It  is  advis- 
able to  have  some  pieces  of  wetted  paper  laid  over  the 
design,  between  it  and  the  roller,  to  prevent  the  cement 
getting  on  to  the  roller.  When  the  cement  has  become 


DIAPHANIE. 


289 


hard  and  dry  (about  eighteen  hours  is  sufficient),  the 
paper  can  be  removed  by  wetting  it  once  more,  and 
rubbing  it  with  a piece  of  cloth,  a sponge,  or  the  hand. 
The  whole  of  it  may  thus  be  removed,  as  the  cement 
holds  with  considerable  tenacity  the  colored  surface  on 
to  the  glass  ; care  must,  however,  be  taken  not  to  rub 
too  hard  or  too  much  when  the  greater  portion  of  the 
paper  is  removed,  or  a blemish  may  thereby  be  caused. 
Be  careful  to  keep  the  work  wet  during  this  operation  ; 
and,  when  finished,  stand  it  by  for  a little  time  to  dry  ; 
then  coat  it  over  with  clearing-liquid  ; and,  when  this  has 
become  dry  and  hard,  a coating  of  the  washable  varnish 
completes  the  work.  Both  the  clearing-liquid  and  the 
varnish  should  be  applied  with  flat  camel’s-hair  brushes. 

Remarks.  — If  the  colors  on  the  sheet  are  not  suffi- 
ciently rich,  they  may  be  heightened  ; or  if  there  be  any 
scratches  or  blemishes,  they  may  be  hidden  by  applying 
color  of  the  same  tint.  If  they  are  retouched  with 
water-color,  it  will  be  requisite  to  thinly  coat  over  what 
you  paint  with  varnish : if  you  retouch  it  with  varnish- 
paint,  same  as  is  used  for  Oriental,  there  will  be  no  occa- 
sion. The  same  holds  good  if  you  color  over  with  lamp- 
black the  joinings. 


290 


DIAPHANIE. 


SECOND  METHOD. 

Give  the  glass  an  even  coating  of  the  transfer-varnish 
or  antique-varnish,  — either  will  do  ; and,  as  soon  as  this 
becomes  sticky,  damp  the  back  of  the  prints  with  a 
sponge  and  cold  water,  and  apply  them  to  the  glass,  and 
press  down  well  with  the  roller,  as  before  directed. 
Should  the  adhesion  be  imperfect,  through  the  varnish 
drying  uneqally,  it  may  be  remedied  by  holding  it  a few 
minutes  to  the  fire.  When  the  varnish  is  quite  dry,  the 
back  of  the  print  should  have  one  or  two  coatings  of 
clearing-varnish  ; if  two,  the  first  must  be  dry  before  the 
second  is  applied.  Allow  the  work  to  remain  a day  or 
so,  and  apply  a coating  of  copal-varnish.  The  joinings 
can  be  penciled  over  with  lampblack. 

SHEETS  OF  PLAIN  COLORS. 

Very  pretty  windows  may  be  made  with  the  sheets  of 
plain  colors,  by  cutting  out  the  design  with  a sharp  pen- 
knife, and  applying  it  to  the  glass,  afterwards  entirely 
covering  the  window  with  a second  color : thus,  if  blue 
has  been  first  put  upon  the  glass,  the  design  cut  out,  and 
another  sheet  of  crimson  is  covered  over  the  whole,  the 
design  will  be  crimson,  relieved  by  purple  ; or,  the  glass 


CHARCOAL-DRAWING. 


291 


may  first  be  entirely  covered,  and  any  design  in  a second 
color  cut  out  and  applied. 


CHARCOAL-DR  A WIN  G. 

Provide  yourself  with  some  sticks  of  charcoal,  black 
and  white  crayon,  stumps,  chamois-leather,  rag,  and 
crayon-holder. 

FOR  CHARCOAL-DRAWING  TO  IMITATE  LITHOGRAPHY. 

Get  a pine-wood  frame  and  a sheet  of  crayon-paper. 
Ascertain  the  size  of  the  lithograph  that  you  intend  to 
copy  ; have  the  frame  near  the  size  ; cut  the  crayon-paper 
to  match,  and  commence  to  sketch  it  in  the  following  man- 
ner : Put  some  strong  flour-paste,  such  as  bookbinders 
use,  over  the  frame.  Damp  your  crayon-paper  with 
clean  water,  and  paste  your  paper  upon  the  frame  : when 
dry  it  will  be  ready  to  work  upon.  Proceed  in  the  fol- 
lowing way  : draw  in  your  subject  with  charcoal ; use 
the  stump  to  blend,  repeating  the  shades  until  you  get 
what  you  want.  As  finer  touches  are  required  for 
foliage  and  branches,  houses  and  figures,  these  have  to 
be  done  with  the  fine  point  of  your  black  chalk.  A few 


292 


CHARCOAL-DRAWING. 


lights  can  be  added  to  advantage  with  the  white  chalk. 
When  all  this  is  completed  to  your  satisfaction,  preserve 
the  drawing  by  coating  over  the  back  of  it  with  “ pre- 
serving-varnish.” When  dry,  cut  out  your  drawing,  and 
mount  it  upon  a sheet  of  stiff*  white  board. 

The  receipt  for  the  “ preserving-varnish  ” is  at  the 
end  of  the  book. 

CHARCOAL  DRAWING,  AS  PRACTICED  MORE  GENERALLY 
BY  ARTISTS. 

Procure  tinted,  crayon,  or  common  brown  paper ; 
cut  the  size  that  you  wish  to  make  your  drawing ; pin  it 
on  the  drawing-board,  and  commence  your  sketch  with 
charcoal.  If  a mistake  is  made,  it  is  easily  dusted  off 
with  the  rag.  Get  your  forms  and  shades  in  with  char- 
coal, and  tone  down  by  using  the  stumps,  and  occasion- 
ally with  the  lingers.  Half-lights  can  be  wiped  out  by 
t means  of  the  chamois,  and  high  lights  can  be  put  in  with 
white  chalk.  This  style  is  exceedingly  useful  for  artists 
and  others,  to  get  in  their  first  ideas,  as  charcoal  works 
so  free  and  effective.  When  you  have  worked  in  all 
you  can,  use  a liquid  fixatif:  this  can  be  obtained 
from  the  publishers  of  this  book,  with  full  directions 


CHARCOAL-DRAWING. 


293 


how  to  use  it.  After  the  fixatif  has  been  applied,  it 
secures  your  drawing ; and,  if  desirable,  you  can  re- 
touch with  charcoal  and  chalk  to  good  purpose.  Always 
use  the  fixatif  after  retouching.  This  can  be  repeated 
indefinitely. 

The  same  process  from  beginning  to  end  can  be  as 
readily  drawn  on  canvas,  the  fixatif  applied,  and,  when 
you  have  obtained  all  the  effect  you  wish,  you  can  com- 
mence oil-painting  right  over  it. 


HINTS  FOE  DESIGNERS  AND  ILLUSTRATORS. 

To  be  a designer  or  an  illustrator,  artistically  con- 
sidered, requires  a natural  talent  for  sketching  objects 
with  facility,  a facile  pencil,  a versatile  genius,  a quick 
imagination,  and  ready  invention.  As  we  do  not  all 
possess  these  indispensable  qualifications,  we  can  not 
all  be  first-class  illustrators  or  designers ; but,  if  we 
have  a little  to  work  upon,  we  may  improve  it,  and 
perhaps,  with  perseverance  and  application,  make  our- 
selves quite  acceptable  in  either  capacity. 

For  designers  in  prints,  it  is  a profitable  way  to  im- 
prove time  by  sketching  single  and  separate  flowers,  and 


294  HINTS  FOR  DESIGNERS  AND  ILLUSTRATORS. 

leaves  and  buds,  then  arranging  them  in  little  groups, 
then  re-arranging  them,  making  one  flower  the  principal 
in  one  group,  and  the  others  subservient  to  it ; and,  in 
another  group  of  the  same  flowers,  making  one  of  the 
others  the  principal.  By  doing  this  a number  of  times, 
and  following  it  up  for  a number  of  days,  you  will  ob- 
tain a facility  of  arranging  that  can  not  be  obtained  in 
any  other  way. 

Many  pleasing  designs  are  made  with  combinations  of 
ovals,  rounds,  squares,  triangles,  and  all  the  manifold 
shapes  that  angles  and  curves  can  be  put  to. 

In  sketching,  always  strive  to  be  neat  and  clear  with 
outlines,  if  you  wish  to  be  a successful  designer. 

Some  of  the  principal  colors  that  designers  use  are 
the  three  chromes,  Chinese  white,  lampblack,  carmine, 
emerald-green,  Prussian  blue,  vermilion,  pink  madder, 
burnt  sienna,  scarlet,  and  combinations  that  these  colors 
will  make.  It  will  be  observed  that  most  of  these 
enumerated  are  opaque  colors  ; but  those  that  are  not 
may  be  made  so  by  adding  white. 

To  give  facility  for  working  with  the  brush,  the 
draughtsman  can  not  do  better  than  study  and  practice 
the  two  pages  of  this  book,  196  and  197. 


HINTS  FOR  DESIGNERS  AND  ILLUSTRATORS.  295 

For  an  illustrator,  a much  wider  range  of  sketching  is 
necessary  ; and  he  can  not  do  better  than  begin  with  sub- 
jects either  from  nature  or  acknowledged  good  copies. 
For  instance,  make  a sketch  of  a chair,  then  put  the 
model  away,  and  sketch  one  from  memory.  When  fin- 
ished, compare  it  with  the  original : it  is  a failure  perhaps  ; 
so  tear  it  up,  and  try  again  and  again,  until  you  have 
every  stave  and  point  correct,  and  well  in  your  memory. 
Sketch  every  thing  else  in  the  same  way,  individually 
and  collectively,  until  you  can  do  them  readily. 

Figures  and  all  kinds  of  quadrupeds  should  be  treated 
precisely  in  the  same  way ; and  the  more  difficult  the 
subject,  the  more  pains  should  be  taken. 

This  copying  from  good  models,  and  then  drawing  the 
same  from  memory  until  fairly  accomplished,  is  a won- 
derful stepping-stone  to  a successful  illustrator* 

A perusal  of  the  article  on  charcoal-drawing  as  prac- 
ticed by  artists  would  be  advantageous,  and  could  be 
followed  out  in  developing  the  first  ideas  of  subjects,  and 
bringing  them  into  form  and  order. 


296 


LINNiEOGRAPHY. 


LINNJEOGPAPHY. 

This  is  an  easy  method  of  procuring  outlines  soft  and 
artistic,  and  can  not  fail  to  be  correct,  as  they  are  copied 
from  natural  leaves  ; and,  if  it  is  manipulated  neatly,  the 
result  bears  a near  resemblance  to  stippling.  We  will  give 
an  illustration  with  a fern-leaf.  Procure  a fine-shaped 
fern,  and  place  it  flat  upon  a sheet  of  white  drawing- 
board  ; pin  it  down  with  little  baby-pins,  in  order  that  it 
may  lie  close  to  the  paper  in  every  part ; then  prepare  a 
weak  shade  of  Indian-ink  in  a saucer  or  plate.  Dip 
your  brush  in  it,  charge  it  pretty  well,  and  commence 
rubbing  it  on  the  comb,  backwards  and  forwards,  while 
holding  it  over  your  leaf.  The  effect  will  be,  that  the  ink 
will  be  forced  through  the  teeth  of  the  comb,  and  descend 
upon  the  paper  in  small  round  dots.  Proceed  in  this 
way  until  you  have  acquired  the  depth  of  shade  you 
want ; then  remove  the  pins  and  fern-leaf,  and  you  will 
find  a pleasing  outline  of  the  fern,  shaded  neatly.  You 
can  repeat  this  with  other  leaves,  and  form  them  into  a 
group.  Flowers  may  likewise  be  done  in  the  same  way. 
Flowers  and  larger  leaves  will  require  to  be  finished  with 


LINNiEO  GRAPH  Y. 


297 


the  sable  by  veining  the  leaves,  and  penciling  in  the 
stamens  and  anthers  to  the  flowers.  Colors  may  be  used 
for  variety,  taking  the  place  of  the  Indian-ink,  and 
tinted  board  in  place  of  white.  If  the  paper  be  prepared 
with  isinglass,  in  the  same  way  as  for  bronzing  (see  page 
198),  you  can  proceed  to  linnaeograph  your  leaves  in  the 
same  way  as  spoken  of,  and  afterwards  stain  them  with 
varnish-color,  according  to  directions  for  Oriental  paint- 
ing. 

The  same  method  may  be  applied  to  silk,  satin,  and 
cloth.  If  either  of  these  articles  are  used,  they  must  be 
first  stretched  upon  a flat  board,  and  fastened  with  nails  ; 
then  coated  over  with  isinglass  : afterwards  proceed  in 
the  same  way  as  upon  any  other  surface. 

The  linnasographic  process  may  be  used  to  advantage 
in  forming  a background  for  water-color  flowers,  in 
doing  which  the  flowers  and  leaves  must  be  correctly 
drawn  on  tracing-paper,  and  neatly  cut  out  with  penknife 
or  scissors  ; then  arrange  your  flowers  and  leaves  upon 
your  drawing-paper,  and  weight  them  down  with  little 
weights  instead  of  pins.  Be  careful  to  have  the  edges 
close  down ; then  begin  the  linnacographing.  If  done 
carefully,  it  has  a very  similar  effect  to  stippling,  and  is 


298 


PERMANENT  FLOWER-PAINTING. 


done  in  a few  minutes  in  comparison  to  the  wearying 
time  taken  to  stipple.  You  can  now  remove  the  paper, 
and  proceed  to  paint  the  flowers  and  leaves  in  the  ordi- 
nary way.  Articles  requisite  for  plain  linn^eography : 
saucer,  comb,  tooth-brush,  and  crow-quill  sable. 

Letters,  horses,  cows,  dogs,  sheep,  figures,  monograms, 
&c.,  may  be  linnseographed  if  cut  out  neatly  and 
fastened  well  upon  the  paper. 


PERMANENT  FLOWER-PAINTING. 

This  style  of  painting  is  suitable  for  folding-screens, 
cuspadores,  &c. 

Procure  a tube  of  flake-white,  a bottle  of  copal  var- 
nish, palette,  and  knife,  and  the  following  colors  in  pow- 
der : carmine,  Prussian  blue,  chrome-yellow,  black,  burnt 
sienna,  and  Van  dyke-brown,  a few  sable  brushes  of  vari- 
ous sizes,  and  a few  camel’s-hair  brushes. 

Sketch  your  design  upon  what  you  are  going  to  deco- 
rate, with  chalk,  any  color  that  will  show  ; then  prepare 
some  of  the  flake-white  upon  your  palette,  by  mixing 
sufficient  copal  varnish  with  it  to  make  it  flow  readily. 
Coat  over  your  flowers,  birds,  leaves,  and  stems  with 


PERMANENT  FLOWER-PAINTING. 


299 


this  twice  or  three  times.  Allow  it  to  dry  a short  time  ; 
then,  with  one  of  your  camel’s-hair  brushes,  dry,  char- 
ging the  brush  with  the  powder-color  you  wish,  and  shade 
on  carefully  the  tint  required.  For  pink  flowers,  use  car- 
mine ; blue  flowers,  the  Prussian  blue  ; for  purple  flowers, 
purple  powder  made  with  carmine  and  a little  blue.  Yel- 
low flowers,  with  chrome-yellow,  afterwards  with  a little 
sienna.  The  leaves  shade  with  green  powders,  made 
with  chrome-yellow  and  blue,  in  various  proportions,  to 
suit  the  tint,  introducing  a little  sienna  or  Vandyke-brown, 
if  brown  tints  are  required.  For  white  flowers,  use  black 
and  a little  chrome  with  it : the  stems  shade  green  after- 
wards, adding  a little  Vandyke-brown. 

If  you  require  any  of  the  flowers  of  a much  stronger 
color,  it  will  be  necessary  to  add  a little  poppy-oil  besides 
the  varnish.  This  will  give  it  additional  stickiness,  and 
make  it  receive  more  color. 

Be  careful  to  coat  over  the  flowers  and  leaves  evenly, 
or  the  powder-colors,  when  applied,  will  go  on  streaky. 
After  the  powder  is  all  done,  if  you  wish  to  vein  the 
leaves,  get  a little  varnish,  and  mix  some  VaDdyke-brown 
with  it  and  pencil  them  in  ; likewise  the  stamens  of  flow- 
ers that  require  them ; the  anthers  do  with  chrome  yel- 
low. 


300  TO  PAINT  FLOWERS  ON  TINTED  PAPER. 


TO  PAINT  FLOWERS  ON  TINTED  PAPER. 

First  paint  all  over  your  flowers  with  Chinese  white. 
When  dry,  repeat  coating  until  you  get  them  as  white  as 
London  board.  Some  flowers  require  to  be  painted  more 
solid  with  the  white  than  others  : such  as  yellow,  scarlet, 
blue,  and  purple  flowers.  After  you  have  your  flowers 
and  buds  satisfactorily  done,  you  can  then  proceed  in  the 
regular  way,  as  written  for  flower-painting,  only  more 
care  must  be  observed  in  laying  the  washes  on,  and  not 
attempt  to  retouch  before  it  is  quite  dry,  or  the  white 
will  wash  up  and  mix  with  your  colors,  and  the  conse- 
quence will  be  that  your  flowers  in  the  high  lights  will 
not  be  so  brilliant  as  they  otherwise  would  be. 

The  green  leaves  paint  on  the  tinted  paper,  in  the 
same  manner  as  if  you  were  painting  on  white  paper  (see 
article  on  Green  Leaves)  ; and  if  you  want  a bright  green, 
or  part  of  a leaf  bright,  pencil  on  some  Chinese  white, 
and  stain  over  it  the  tint  required. 


TREATMENT  OF  AUTUMN  LEAYES. 


301 


TREATMENT  OF  AUTUMN  LEAVES. 

The  painting  of  autumn  leaves  has  most  deservedly 
grown  into  public  favor,  owing  to  the  artistic  exertions 
of  several  in  this  line  of  art,  who  have  succeeded  in 
placing  admirable  specimens  of  brilliant  leaf-beauty  be- 
fore the  patrons  of  art ; and  whether  they  are  introduced 
in  single  sprays,  or  harmonized  in  groups,  never  fail  to 
attract  attention,  as  the  leaves  are  capable  of  being  made 
into  very  handsome  groups,  owing  to  their  varied  tints, 
which  are  second  to  none  but  the  flowers  to  which  they 
are  related. 

The  treatment  of  the  leaves  is  varied  to  suit  the 
coloring  of  each.  For  yellow  leaves,  such  as  are  often 
seen  among  the  sumach  and  maple,  use  gallstone  ; and 
while  moist  wash  in  a delicate  tint  of  pink  madder.  For 
brilliant  red  leaves,  paint  over  twice  with  gallstone 
and  gamboge,  and  afterwards  with  pure  carmine,  the 
general  tint  required.  If  there  are  any  dark  parts  on  the 
leaf,  wash  in  Vandyke-brown  while  the  carmine  is  moist. 
For  leaves  that  are  partially  turned,  and  have  a variety 
of  colors  in  one  leaf  get  the  tints  mixed  upon  the  palette, 


26 


302 


TREATMENT  OF  AUTUMN  LEAVES. 


all  ready  to  apply,  and  wash  them  in  with  different 
brushes,  first  coating  the  leaf  over  with  clean  water,  and 
putting  some  blotting-paper  upon  it,  in  order  to  absorb 
the  superfluous  moisture.  Float  on  your  color  as  near 
the  real  shade  as  you  can  mix  it,  using  gallstone,  Indian 
yellow,  chrome-yellow,  gamboge,  raw  sienna ; yellow 
ocher,  for  yellows,  adding  a little  Prussian  blue  to  either 
of  the  yellows  to  make  green.  For  red  parts,  use  car- 
mine and  pink-madder.  For  brown  leaves,  such  as 
are  sometimes  seen  on  beecfy-trees,  use  gamboge,  burnt 
sienna,  and  burnt  umber.  For  some  oak-leaves  that 
have  a peculiar  yellow  tinge,  use  yellow-ocher,  and  float 
on  a little  raw-umber  while  the  yellow-ocher  is  moist. 

All  autumnal  leaves  washed  in,  in  this  general  man- 
ner, require  to  have  a little  more  finish,  either  in  broad 
touches,  or  stippling,  or  lined. 

The  veins  can  be  painted  in  with  a long  crow-quill 
sable,  in  Chinese  white,  and  stained  if  requisite.  One 
side  of  the  vein  should  be  relieved  with  a stroke  of  dark 
color.  Some  of  the  veins  are  penciled  in  with  crimson- 
lake  and  Vandyke-brown,  equal  parts. 


GREEN  LEAVES  IN  WATER-COLORS. 


303 


TREATMENT  OF  GREEN  LEAVES  IN 
WATER-COLORS. 

Leaves  are  painted  in  various  ways,  and,  if  painted 
well,  add  very  much  to  the  beauty  of  the  flowers. 
General  treatment  is  to  coat  over  the  shadows  and 
shades  with  neutral  tint  or  Indian-ink,  and  then  wash 
over  with  various-tinted  greens.  A few  directions  for 
treatment  with  different  colors  will  greatly  assist  those 
who  are  fond  of  flower-painting. 

For  dark  leaves,  coat  over  the  shades  with  neutras 
pretty  strong ; when  dry,  wash  over  all  the  leaf  with 
green,  composed  of  indigo  and  raw  sienna ; when  dry, 
retouch  with  broad  touches  the  shadows  and  convolu- 
tions. 

For  some  kinds  of  rose-leaves,  use  emerald-green  and 
carmine  for  the  shades,  and  wash  over  with  emerald- 
green  and  pale  chrome-yellow ; finish  with  small  touches 
to  increase  the  depth  in  some  parts. 

For  small,  delicate  leaves,  and  new  leaves,  gamboge 
and  Prussian  blue.  Let  the  gamboge  predominate  ; and 
in  some  leaves  a faint  trace  of  carmine  may  be  pen- 


304 


GREEN  LEAVES  IN  WATER-COLORS. 


cilled  in.  The  majority  of  green  leaves  may  be  treated 
with  gamboge  and  Prussian  blue,  in  numberless  tints, 
occasionally  washing  in  a little  carmine  in  some  in- 
stances, and  burnt  sienna  in  others.  All  leaves,  after 
the  broad  washes  are  in,  can  be  worked  over,  sometimes 
to  great  advantage,  by  a little  stippling  or  a few  lines. 
The  amount  of  finish  in  this  way  depends  upon  the  skill 
of  the  artist.  If  you  find  you  are  not  improving  it 
after  working  over  for  a considerable  time,  leave  off, 
and  come  again  to  it  some  future  time,  fresh,  and  deter- 
mined to  succeed. 

Sap-green  makes-  a very  good  wash  for  some  leaves, 
strengthened  with  a little  burnt  sienna  and  Prussian  blue 
in  the  shades. 

The  veins  of  green  leaves,  if  dark,  can  be  pencilled  in 
with  Vandyke-brown,  adding  a little  indigo  for  the 
darker  places.  If  the  veins  are  lighter  than  the  leaf, 
pencil  them  in  with  Chinese  white,  and  stain  them  with 
color.  For  drops  of  water,  the  under  part  must  be 
darker,  and  the  light  may  be  put  in  with  white,  or 
scraped  up  with  the  point  of  a penknife. 

The  lights  on  a cluster  of  anthers  in  a flower  are  often 
made  with  good  effect  with  the  point  of  a penknife. 


Illnminalifln,  &t. 


(30 5) 


ILLUMINATING. 


N ancient  times,  our  forefathers  had  a 
way  of  introducing  the*  first  letter  of  sen- 
tences to  their  readers,  dressed  and  dec- 
orated with  brilliant  colors ; and  some- 
times, by  way  of  emphasizing  a whole  sentence,  every 
letter  would  be  illumined,  so  as  to  attract  more  attention. 

The  style  of  letters  usually  selected  for  illumining  are 
the  old  English.  Any  others  can  be  used  ; but  these, 
and  such  as  these,  are  better  adapted  to  show  the  style. 
The  letters  should  be  neatly  drawn,  and  skeletoned  out 
with  gold-bronze  ; then  filled  in  with  one  of  the  bright- 
est colors.  For  variety,  some  of  the  letters  may  be  out- 
lined with  silver  or  lampblack,  always  using  the  crow- 
quill  sable  for  outlining.  When  silver  or  gold  shell  is 
used,  it  can  be  made  to  look  almost  as  bright  as  leaf- 
gold  or  silver  by  rubbing  with  an  agate  burnisher. 

It  is  requisite  to  be  provided  with  the  following  arti- 
cles : gold  shell,  silver  shell,  and  the  following  cakes  of 
water-colors : vermilion,  cobalt-blue,  carmine,  lamp- 


307 


308 


ILLUMINATING. 


black,  emerald-green,  gamboge,  constant  white ; two 
sable  brushes,  — one  a crow-quill  with  hairs  about  five- 
eighths  of  an  inch  long,  the  other  an  ordinary  duck-quill 
size,  — and  a tool  called  an  agate  burnisher.  But,  in 
the  absence  of  this,  any  small  rounded  stone  or  piece  of 
metal  will  do,  so  that  it  is  quite  clean. 

Observations. — The  crow-quill  brush  is  best  suited 
for  outlining  the  letters : being  a little  longer,  it  carries 
the  paint  better.  If  the  letters  are  large,  the  duck  size 
will  be  better  for  filling  in  ; and,  in  doing  which,  you 
can  alternate  the  colors  according  to  taste.  If  you  de- 
sire a purple,  you  can  make  a very  beautiful  one  by 
adding  carmine  to  cobalt-blue  ; and  if  you  desire  a scar- 
let, add  a little  carmine  to  gamboge.  When  the  letters 
are  finished,  you  can  vary  the  appearance  a little  more 
by  shading  them  very  delicately  with  black,  weakened 
down  to  a neutral  tint.  The  emerald-green  and  vermil- 
ion make  very  rich  contrasts  in  one  letter.  Blue  and 
scarlet  in  others,  and  gamboge  and  purple,  and  blue,  pur- 
ple, and  emerald,  for  more  sombre  ones. 


SORRENTO-WOOD  CUTTING. 


309 


SORRENTO-WOOD  CUTTING-. 

Choose  a simple  pattern  to  commence  with ; make  a 
very  exact  drawing  of  it  on  paper,  of  such  fabric  as  can 
be  cut  through  easily.  Paste  the  paper  on  the  wood  in- 
tended to  be  cut ; then  saw  and  cut  through  paper  and 
wood  on  the  Unes  of  the  drawing  with  small,  sharp  in- 
struments. If  desirable,  some  of  the  pieces  cut  out 
may  be  painted  and  re-inserted. 

When  in  Italy,  we  saw  splendid  specimens  of  this 
work  ; among  them  the  wedding-gift  of  the  city  of  Turin 
to  Prince  Umberto,  a sort  of  box,  valued  at  five  thousand 
francs.  It  was  a complicated  piece  of  work,  and  exqui- 
sitely wrought.  When  shut,  it  was  only  a handsome  box  ; 
but  it  opened  into  jewel  and  sewing  boxes,  a writing- 
desk,  toilet-table,  music-stand,  drawers,  and  various 
other  conveniences,  the  whole  inlaid  and  bordered  with 
tiny  bits  of  colored  wood. 


310 


HERALDIC  EMBLAZONING. 


HERALDIC  EMBLAZONING-. 

“We  do  not  intend  to  enter  into  the  origin  of  heraldry, 
or  give  any  elaborate  description  of  armorial  bearings, 
or  attempt  to  trace  out  any  family  crests  or  coats  of 
arms,  but  merely  to  give  the  modus  operand*  of  fol- 
lowing out  the  emblazonry  of  any  crest  or  coat  of  arms 
that  may  be  found  in  heraldic  books  ; and  to  facilitate 
this  object,  it  is  requisite  to  be  acquainted  with  the  lead- 
ing terms  used.  The  shield  is  divided  into  the  following 
parts,  A,  B,  C.  The  chief  sub-divided  into  A,  the  dex- 
ter or  right  hand  ; B,  the  middle  chief  point ; C,  the 
sinister,  or  left-hand  chief  point ; D,  the  collar,  or  honor 
point ; E,  the  heart,  or  fess  point ; F,  the  nombril,  or 
navel  point ; and  G,  H,  I,  the  base,  subdivided  into  G, 
the  dexter  base  point ; II,  the  middle  base  point ; and  I, 
the  sinister  base  point.  (See  Fig.  1.) 

The  shield,  with  its  points  and  parts  thus  described,  is 
distinguished  by  certain  armorial  colors  called  tinctures, 
separated  by  division-lines.  The  shape  of  the  shield  is 
optional : the  whole  space  within  the  bounding-lines  of 
the  shield  is  called  the  field.  The  tinctures  used  in 
heraldry  are  metals,  colors,  and  furs. 


HERALDIC  EMBLAZONING. 


311 


Gold,  as  in  Fig.  2,  by  dots  ; Fig.  3,  plain,  for  argent ; Fig.  4, 
azure,  horizontal  lines  ; Fig.  5,  gules,  by  perpendicular  lines  ; sable, 
Fig.  6,  by  cross-lines,  horizontal  and  perpendicular;  Fig.  7,  vert, 
lines  from  dexter  chief  to  sinister  base ; Fig.  8,  purpure,  lines  from 
sinister  chief  to  dexter  base ; Fig.  9,  tenne,  transverse  lines  from  the 
dexter  chief  to  sinister  base,  and  from  sinister  chief  to  dexter  base; 
Fig.  10,  sanguine,  lines  horizontal,  crossed  by  other  lines  from  dexter 
chief  to  sinister  base. 


DOVETAILED. 


/z/z 

REGULE. 


INDENTED. 


DANCETTE. 


Ln_n_ru 

EMBATTLED. 


ENGRAILED.  NEBULI. 


WAVY. 


INVECKEB. 


312 


HERALDIC  EMBLAZONING. 


Names  abridged. 


In  English. 


Or, 

Or, 

Gold. 

Ar., 

Argent , 

Silver. 

Az., 

Azure , 

Blue. 

Gu., 

Gules , 

V ermilion. 

Sa., 

Sable , 

Black. 

Vert, 

Vert , 

Green. 

Purp., 

Purpure , 

Purple. 

Ten., 

Tenne , 

Tan. 

Sang., 

Sanguine . 

Indian  Red. 

The  two  principal  furs  used  in  heraldry  are  ermine 
and  vair. 

Emblazonry  is  represented  in  engravings,  that  are  not 
colored,  by  the  following  marks : gold  is  represented 
by  dots ; silver,  by  the  shield  being  plain ; blue,  by 
horizontal  lines  ; red,  by  perpendicular  lines  ; sable,  by 
cross-lines,  horizontal  and  perpendicular  ; green,  by  lines 
from  the  dexter  chief  to  the  sinister  base  ; purple,  by 
lines  from  the  sinister  chief  to  the  dexter  base  ; tan,  by 
transverse  lines  from  the  dexter  chief  to  the  sinister  base, 
and  from  the  sinister  chief  to  the  dexter  base  ; Indian 
red,  by  lines  horizontal,  crossed  by  other  lines  from  the 
dexter  chief  to  the  sinister  base.  (See  Figs.  2 to  10.) 


HERALDIC  EMBLAZONING. 


313 


ATTITUDES  OR  POSITIONS  OF  ANIMALS. 

When  a lion  or  other  beast  of  prey  stands  upright, 
with  one  ear  and  one  eye  seen,  he  is  termed  rampant ; 
when  walking  forward,  with  one  eye  and  one  ear  seen, 
passant ; when  sitting,  sejant ; when  lying  down,  cou- 
chant.  If  in  any  of  these  positions  the  animal  looks 
full  face,  so  that  both  eyes  and  ears  may  be  seen,  the 
word  guardart  is  annexed  to  passant,  rampant,  sejant,  or 
couchant,  as  the  case  may  be  ; and  if  he  look  back,  the 
word  reguardant.  Animals  of  the  deer  kind  have  their 
positions  otherwise  blazoned.  Thus,  when  looking  full- 
faced,  they  are  said  to  be  at  gaze  ; when  standing,  sta- 
tant ; when  walking,  tripping ; when  leaping  forward, 
springing;  when  running,  courant ; and  when  at  rest  on 
the  ground,  lodged. 

Parts  that  are  specified  in  the  directions  to  be  gold 
are  mentioned  as  Or.  Such  parts  can  be  done  two  ways  ; 
viz.,  with  gold-leaf  or  gold-bronze  : the  latter  is  most 
simple,  and  easier  to  do.  Get  gold-bronze,  mix  it  with  a 
little  dissolved  gum-arabic,  and  coat  over  all  the  parts 
marked  Or,  and,  when  thoroughly  dry,  rub  it  hard  with 
the  agate  burnisher,  same  as  mentioned  in  directions  for 


314 


HERALDIC  EMBLAZONING. 


illuminating.  If  leaf-gold  is  required,  you  dissolve 
isinglass  in  liot  water : make  it  pretty  strong,  and  pencil 
over  the  parts  (while  the  isinglass  is  warm)  that  are  to 
be  gold  ; allow  it  to  dry ; then  pencil  over  the  same  with 
gold-size,  and  proceed  in  the  same  way  as  directions  for 
gilding.  (See  page  206.)  The  parts  marked  Ar.,  argent, 
silver,  may  be  done  with  white  bronze  mixed  with  a 
little  gum,  and,  when  dry,  rubbed  with  the  agate  ; or  the 
part  can  be  left  white,  if  the  coat-of-arms  is  being  painted 
on  white  paper  ; and  if  tinted  paper,  a few  coatings  of 
constant  white  will  answer  the  purpose.  For  vert,  use 
emerald-green ; for  purpure,  use  carmine  and  a little 
cobalt-blue ; for  gules,  use  vermilion ; for  sable,  use 
lampblack ; for  tenne,  use  yellow  ochre  and  a little 
burnt  sienna  ; for  sanguine,  use  Indian-red  ; for  azure, 
use  cobalt-blue. 

In  finishing,  gold  and  bronze  are  shaded  with  burnt 
sienna;  and  in  the  darker  shades  add  a little  Vandyke- 
brown.  All  the  other  colors  may  be  enriched  by  a little 
shading : for  vermilion,  use  carmine ; for  purple,  use 
purple,  and  add  very  little  black,  to  darken  it  a trifle  ; for 
green,  gamboge  and  a little  black ; for  tenne  and  san- 
guine, use  Vandyke-brown ; for  white,  use  the  black, 


HERALDIC  EMBLAZONING. 


315 


diluted  down  with  water  to  a very  pale  shade ; for 
azure,  use  cobalt,  and  add  a little  black. 

You  will  observe  that  what  has  already  been  treated 
upon  has  all  been  painted  with  water-colors  : if  you  re- 
quire something  more  permanent  and  durable,  we  would 
recommend  the  varnish-colors,  and  refer  you  to  the  arti- 
cles on  Oriental  painting  and  papier-mache.  The  color- 
ing will  be  exactly  the  same  as  already  laid  down  for 
water-color  emblazoning ; but  the  treatment  of  colors 
will  be  different.  The  mixing  of  paints  will  be  the  same 
as  mentioned  on  page  171  ; and  the  coating  of  the  white 
will  be  the  same  as  pursued  for  flowers,  page  194.  This 
treatment  can  be  painted  upon  any  dark  ground. 

If  on  tinted  paper,  it  will  be  requisite  to  prepare  the 
paper  with  isinglass,  exactly  in  the  same  manner  as  men- 
tioned on  page  198  for  bronzing. 

MATERIALS  REQUISITE  FOR  EMBLAZONING. 

Leaf-gold,  gold-bronze,  white  bronze ; cake  water-col- 
ors,— burnt  sienna,  Vandyke-brown,  carmine,  cobalt- 
blue,  vermilion,  emerald  - green,  lampblack,  gamboge, 
yellow  ochre,  constant  white,  Indian-red ; agate  bur- 
nisher, crow-quill  and  duck-quill  sable  brushes. 


316 


CUTTING  OUT  PAPER  ORNAMENTS. 


HOW  TO  CONVERT  BROKEN  CAKE-COLORS 
INTO  MOIST  COLORS. 

Put  the  broken  color  into  a small  cup,  and  cover  with 
water.  Let  it  remain  until  the  color  is  dissolved  or  suffi- 
ciently softened  ; then  get  it  out  and  place  it  upon  a porce- 
lain palette  or  clean  plate.  Add  about  one-third  of  its 
original  bulk  of  honey  to  it ; mix  it  well  with  a small 
palette-knife,  and  put  it  in  one  of  the  porcelain  pans : 
when  the  water  moisture  has  evaporated,  it  is  ready  for 
use. 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  CUTTING  OUT  PAPER 
ORNAMENTS. 

Procure  several  tints  of  tissue-paper  of  delicate  colors, 
such  as  pink,  blue,  green,  yellow,  and  white.  Decide 
upon  the  size  and  shape  you  wish  your  subject,  whether 
round,  square,  or  oval. 

For  example  : We  will  suppose  it  to  be  a circle  the  size 
of  an  ordinary  plate.  Draw  out  your  circle  with  com- 
passess,  or  from  your  plate,  upon  the  tissue-paper. 


CUTTING  OUT  PAPER  ORNAMENTS. 


317 


Double  it  over  and  over  four  times,  in  such  a way  as  to 
make  your  paper  assume  the  shape  of  a cone  one-eighth 
of  a circle.  Now  cut  a piece  of  white  letter-paper 
exactly  the  same  size  as  one-eighth  of  a circle,  and  upon 
it  draw  a single  design  with  pen  and  ink,  observing  that 
each  figure  should  be  separate.  When  complete,  place  it 
carefully  inside  the  first  division  of  your  folded  paper. 
You  can  now  trace  the  pattern  with  lead-pencil  on  the 
tissue-paper.  That  being  done,  remove  your  original 
pattern,  and  commence  cutting  out  the  parts  you  have 
marked  with  a pair  of  embroidery  scissors.  When  you 
have  cut  them  all  out,  unfold  your  paper,  and  you  will 
have  your  pattern  repeated  eight  times  ; and,  when  done 
neatly,  it  has  a pleasing  appearance.  If  it  is  not  all  you 
desire,  try  again.  A few  trials  will  make  you  perfect. 

The  paper  ornament,  when  finished,  may  be  used  as  a 
mat-stand,  scent-bottle,  or  pincushion,  or  to  place  upon 
a dessert  plate. 

This  style  of  paper-cutting  may  be  used  for  many  pur- 
poses that  your  own  ingenuity  may  suggest. 


318  DIRECTIONS  FOR  BRONZE  STENCILLING. 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  BRONZE  STENCILLING. 

Procure  papers  of  three  or  four  different  kinds  of 
bronzes,  — white,  gold,  copper,  and  salmon.  A bottle  of 
gold-size,  a flat  camel’s-hair  brush,  penknife,  and  a flat 
piece  of  tin  six  or  eight  inches  square.  Make  a rubber 
of  a bit  of  soft  leather,  with  soft  cotton  inside.  Tie  it 
with  thread,  so  as  to  keep  it  in  shape. 

Draw  the  subject  you  want  on  thin,  strong  writing- 
paper.  Whether  flowers,  figures,  houses,  letters,  or 
scroll  ornament,  place  the  paper  with  your  drawing  on 
the  tin,  and  commence  cutting  out  with  the  point  of  your 
penknife,  leaving  a little  band,  now  and  then,  to  hold 
your  design  together.  With  a little  practice  this  can  be 
done  very  neatly.  Your  design  being  ready,  coat  over 
any  article  you  intend  to  decorate. 

For  an  example,  we  will  take  a little  fancy  table  that 
has  been  varnished  or  coated  with  oil-paint.  Wash  it 
well,  so  as  to  free  it  entirely  from  grease.  When  quite 
dry,  coat  it  over  evenly  with  gold-size  with  the  flat 
brush.  Allow  it  to  dry  about  twenty  minutes  ; then  get 
all  your  bronze  papers  open  ; place  your  design  on  the 


ENGRAVINGS  OR  PRINTS  UPON  GLASS.  319 


part  coated  with  gold-size.  Charge  your  leather  rubber 
well  with  the  desired  bronze,  and  rub  gently  the  bronze 
on  to  the  stencil.  Great  care  is  requisite  in  rubbing  oh 
the  bronze,  or  you  may  break  some  of  the  delicate  bands 
that  hold  together  your  design.  The  bronze  readily 
adheres  to  the  sticky  property  of  the  gold-size. 

If  desirable,  you  can  stain  with  transparent  color  what 
you  have  stencilled.  In  that  case  you  must  allow  it  to 
dry  a few  days,  and  use  the  same  colors  as  directed  in 
Oriental  painting. 

FOR  USING  ORDINARY  ENGRAVINGS  OR 
PRINTS  UPON  GLASS. 

The  engravings  or  prints  used  for  this  purpose  should 
be  on  paper  that  contains  little  or  no  size  ; and  those 
answer  best  that  are  strongly  printed. 

Lay  the  print  flat,  and  damp  with  sponge  and  water 
the  plain  or  unprinted  side.  Apply  a generous  coating 
of  transfer-varnish  on  the  glass.  Place  on  the  print 
face  to  the  glass  ; then  press  with  the  roller,  as  before 
directed  in  the  article  on  diaphanie  ; and,  having  satisfied 
yourself  that  no  air-bubbles  remain  between  the  face  of 


320  IMITATION  OF  INLAYING  WITH  EBONY. 


the  print  and  the  glass,  lay  it  at  some  distance  from  the 
fire  to  dry. 

Damp  the  back  of  the  print  again  with  water,  and 
commence  rubbing  off  the  superfluous  paper.  This  must 
be  done  with  care,  or  the  face  of  the  print  will  be 
injured. 

When  you  have  removed  sufficient  of  the  paper,  and 
allow’ed  the  moisture  to  dry,  apply  with  the  camel’ s-hair 
brush  the  clearing-varnish. 

If  you  wish,  you  can  stain  some  of  the  parts  with 
varnish-color,  as  used  in  oriental.  Afterwards  varnish 
all  over  with  copal-varnish. 


IMITATION  OF  INLAYING  WITH  EBONY. 

Procure  any  article  that  is  made  with  holly-wood  or 
any  other  light-colored  wood.  Trace  neatly  with  lead- 
pencil  any  design  you  wish,  and  proceed  to  outline  the 
same  with  your  crow-quill  sable.  Afterwards  fill  in  all 
the  interstices  with  lamp-black. 

The  designs  for  this  style  may  be  as  simple  or  as 
elaborate  as  for  any  style  of  decorating  ; and  any  one 
who  has  a steady  hand  for  outlining  can  accomplish  it. 


IMITATION  OF  INLAYING  WITH  EBONY.  321 


We  will  suppose,  for  example,  that  you  only  want  a 
border  composed  of  ivy-leaves.  Sketch  in  your  pattern 
with  your  crow-quill  brush  charged  with  black.  Vein 
the  leaves,  and  leave  all  the  connecting-stems  white. 
Fill  in  to  the  width  of  your  border  with  black. 

The  same  design  may  be  reversed,  which  is  much 
easier  to  do  for  a border.  In  this  case,  pencil  in  your 
leaves  with  black,  leaving  the  veins  white  ; the  connect- 
ing-stems do  with  black.  Make  your  black  smooth  and 
solid,  even  if  you  have  to  go  over  two  or  three  times. 

Chinese  designs,  with  figures,  buildings,  birds,  trees, 
flowers,  &c.,  look  very  well  in  this  style,  on  small  tables, 
folio,  and  book-covers  ; indeed,  this  style  can  be  applied 
to  advantage  on  any  article  that  is  made  in  light-colored 
wood.  I once  saw  a complete  toilet-set  ornamented  in 
this  style,  chairs  and  bed  included. 

The  articles  required  are  a pan  of  Winsor  and  New- 
ton’s lamp-black  ; two  sable  brushes,  — one  a crow-quill 
sable,  with  the  hairs  five-eighths  of  an  inch  long ; the 
other  a duck  or  goose-quill,  according  to  the  spaces  you 
have  to  fill  in. 

After  finishing  your  design,  if  the  article  is  one  that 
will  be  handled  much,  it  is  better  to  give  it  a coat  or  two 


322  DIRECTIONS  FOR  CLEANING  BRUSHES. 

of  copal-varnish.  If  two,  allow  the  first  coat  to  dry  a 
couple  of  days  before  applying  the  second. 

The  reason  for  varnishing  is,  the  lamp-black  is  water- 
color  ; and,  if  any  moisture  gets  upon  it,  it  would  smear 
and  spoil  the  effect  of  your  work. 

If  you  are  an  oriental-painter,  and  have  the  requisites 
for  that  style,  you  can  use  your  lamp-black  mixed  with 
varnish,  in  place  of  using  water-color. 

To  those  who  have  painted  papier-mache,  and  are 
familiar  with  varnishing,  if  they  wish  they  may  put  an 
extra  finish  upon  their  work  by  giving  it  two  coats  of 
varnish  as  before  directed,  and  then  following  the  direc- 
tions for  polishing  as  mentioned  on  page  202. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  CLEANING  BRUSHES. 

Always  leave  your  brushes  clean.  For  water-color 
brushes,  Indiau-ink,  and  sepia,  wash  them  in  clean 
water. 

Brushes  that  are  used  in  alcoholic  varnishes,  such  as 
spirit-sandarac,  cabinet,  varnish  for  pearling,  preserving- 
varnish,  and  Grecian  varnish,  should  be  washed  in 
alcohol. 


IMITATION  OF  GROUND  GLASS* 


323 


All  brushes  used  in  oil  painting,  oriental  and  papier- 
mache,  and  turpentine  varnishes,  such  as  transfer-var- 
nish, antique  varnish,  mastic,  and  copal,  should  be 
washed  in  turpentine,  and  afterwards  with  soap  and  warm 
water.  Attention  to  this,  and  your  brushes  will  always 
be  in  working  order,  and  will  last  a long  time  ; but  if 
neglected,  and  the  color  or  varnish  is  allowed  to  remain 
in,  they  soor  spoil  and  get  ruined. 

IMITATION  OF  GROUND  GLASS. 

Take  one  part  of  flake-white  ; add  two  parts  of  sugar 
of  lead  ; mix  with  equal  parts  of  oil  and  turpentine. 
The  color  must  be  used  thin,  and  applied  with  a paint- 
ing-brush of  moderate  size.  Then,  with  a painter’s 
duster  or  badger,  clean  and  free  from  dust.  Commence 
gently  dabbing  the  glass  with  the  ends  of  the  hair  until 
your  work  acquires  uniformity  of  appearance.  This  will 
wear  a considerable  time,  and  it  may  be  washed  with 
weak  soap  and  water  if  necessary ; but,  should  you 
require  to  repaint  it,  the  first  may  be  removed  with  very 
little  labor  by  applying  with  a sponge  a solution  of  pot- 
ash. 


324 


GRECIAN  VARNISH. 


Another  method,  more  simple  : Get  some  putty  ; pre- 
pare it  in  a round  ball,  and  dab  over  your  glass  evenly  ; 
let  it  dry  a couple  of  days,  then  repeat  it.  If  evenly 
done,  it  looks  well,  and  answers  every  purpose  for  which 
ground  glass  is  used.  If  you  should  require  to  remove 
it,  it  may  be  done  with  very  little  trouble,  by  applyiug, 
with  a piece  of  sponge  or  cotton,  oil  of  tartar,  or  solution 
of  potash. 

TRANSFER-VARNISH. 

To  six  ounces  of  fir-balsam  add  three  ounces  of  recti- 
fied spirits  of  turpentine.  Shake  well  together,  and  it  is 
ready  for  use. 

GRECIAN  VARNISH. 

Take  three  ounces  of  fir-balsam,  two  ounces  of  ninety- 
five  per  cent  alcohol,  and  one  ounce  of  rectified  spirits  of 
turpentine.  Shake  well  together  ; strain  if  requisite,  and 
it  is  ready  for  use. 


SEALING  WAX. 


325 


SEALING  WAX  TO  IMITATE  CORAL. 

ELT  sealing  wax  of  the  de- 
sired color  in  first  proof  al- 
cohol. Spread  thickly  over 
a pasteboard,  basket,  plate, 
or  small  waiter.  Stir  rice, 
sago,  and  small  bits  of  tap- 
ioca, into  the  vessel  of  dis- 
solved sealing-wax  ; spread 
the  same  over  the  basket,  etc. ; dry  thoroughly.  This 
is  pretty  for  card  receivers. 

Sealing-wax  Painting.  — Into  twelve  large-mouthed 
bottles,  containing  about  half  a gill  each,  put  as  many 
colors  and  shades  of  sealing  wax.  Pour  over  alcohol, 
best  quality,  sufficient  to  dissolve  the  wax.  Paint 
flowers,  birds,  etc.,  with  the  same  to  imitate  enameled 
painting.  A friend  of  ours,  who  had  much  skill  in 
painting,  received  $60  for  a small  table  painted  in 
this  way. 


326 


PRESERYING-YARNISH. 


CLEAR  VARNISH  SUITABLE  FOR  ENGRAV- 
INGS, &c. 

To  six  ounces  of  fir-balsam  add  twelve  ounces  of  rec- 
tified spirits  of  turpentine.  Shake  well  together  ; strain 
if  requisite,  and  it  is  ready  for  use. 


PRESERVING-VARNISH. 

To  half  an  ounce  of  shellac  add  one  pint  of  ninety-five 
per  cent  alcohol.  Let  it  remain  two  days,  occasionally 
shaking  it.  Pour  off  from  the  sediment,  and  it  is  ready 


for  use. 


l\,  a,  ttaram, 

&c. 


(327) 


THE  AQUARIUM. 


giving  some  simple  directions  for 
making  aquaria,  we  believe  that  we 
are  performing  an  acceptable  service  to 
our  readers ; for  within  comparatively 
short  time  the  aquarium  has  become 
a popular  source  of  entertainment  and  in- 
struction, and  by  means  of  it  a fresh  impetus 
has  been  given  to  the  study  of  the  won- 
ders of  the  ocean  depths.  No  more  attractive 
object  can  be  found,  than  a well-stocked  aquarium,  with 
its  living  curiosities  of  animal  and  vegetable  life,  nor  one 
so  continually  changing  in  its  character  — ever  varying, 
ever  new.  We  give  a few  simple  directions  to  assist  the 
reader,  although  the  subject  is  not  strictly  within  the 
scope  of  our  volume.  But  we  have  frequently  been  in- 
quired of  relative  to  the  mode  of  constructing  an  aqua- 
rium, and  think  our  readers  will  be  gratified  to  find  a 
few  simple  rules  within  their  reach. 

The  first  requisite  is  a tank,  which  can  be  of  any 

(329) 


330 


THE  AQUAKIUM. 


shape  to  suit  the  maker’s  fancy  and  his  facilities  for 
construction.  The  square  or  oblong  forms  are  generally 
preferred,  being  easier  of  manufacture,  although  octagons, 
or  other  angular  forms,  are  readily  made.  Great  care 
must  be  taken  that  the  tank  is  perfectly  water-tight ; and 
this  is  one  of  the  chief  difficulties  to  be  encountered.  Of 
course,  simple  tanks  can  be  made  of  glass  tumblers,  china 
howls,  etc.,  but  we  are  speaking  of  those  on  a more 
extensive  scale.  The  tank  is,  in  few  words,  a water-tight 
box  with  glass  sides  and  a slate  or  marble  bottom.  A 
cabinet  maker,  or  any  ingenious  person,  can  easily  make 
one  by  constructing  the  skeleton  of  a box,  or  the  frame 
of  a box,  and  fitting  glass  sides  into  solid  grooves  in  the 
frame.  Also  have  a glass  slab  for  a cover,  raising  it  a little 
from  the  top  of  the  tank  by  placing  bits  of  cork  upon 
the  edges,  in  order  that  air  may  pass  over  the  water.  The 
dimensions  can  he  decided  according  to  taste  or  convenience. 
The  following  are  found  to  he  very  available  sizes  : — 

18  inches  long,  13  inches  wide,  and  13  inches  high. 

30  “ “ 18  “ “ 18  “ “ 

48  » “ 24  “ “ “ 24  “ “ 

Having  completed  the  tank,  the  next,  and  perhaps 
more  difficult  step,  is  to  fit  it  up,  or  “ stock  it ; ” and 


THE  AQUARIUM. 


331 


here  is  a field  for  the  display  of  taste  and  beauty.  Of 
course,  this  process  depends  upon  whether  the  tank  is  for 
a salt  or  fresh  water  aquarium  — the  tank  itself  being 
the  same  for  both.  In  a small  aquarium  it  is  not  best 
to  fill  up  the  tank  with  rock-work,  as  all  the  space  thus 
occupied  diminishes  to  that  extent  the  room  for  the  ani- 
mal and  vegetable  life.  Before  fitting  up  the  tank,  it 
should  be  well  soaked  for  two  or  three  days,  to  remove 
any  loose  particles  and  all  scent  and  foul  matter  from  the 
cement  used  in  fastening  the  glass  sides,  as  any  such  im- 
purities will  destroy  all  the  animal  life  contained  in  the 
tank.  Cover  the  bottom  of  the  tank  evenly  to  the  depth 
of  one  or  two  inches  (the  depth  is  not  essential)  with 
coarse  sand,  pebbles,  small  shells,  etc.,  washed  clean.  In 
this  layer  the  aquatic  animals  will  delight  to  amuse  them- 
selves. Next,  place  stones  and  rocks  of  different  sizes  in 
the  tank,  piling  or  adjusting  them  so  that  open  spaces 
will  be  left  between  the  stones,  corresponding  to  the 
caverns  and  hiding  places  in  the  beds  of  brooks  and  on 
the  bottom  of  the  ocean.  Allow  one  piece  of  rock  to 
project  above  the  surface  of  the  water,  so  that  such  of  the 
animals  as  desire  can  crawl  up  and  breathe  atmospheric 
air.  The  tank  should  be  filled  perhaps  two  thirds  full  of 


332 


THE  AQUARIUM. 


water,  and  the  hight  marked  on  the  side  of  the  tank. 
As  the  water  evaporates,  fill  up  with  fresh  water  to  this 
mark.  If  the  aquarium  is  for  salt  water,  the  filling  up 
to  compensate  for  evaporation  should  be  done  with  fresh 
water,  (not  sea  water,)  as  the  salt  remains  in  the  tank 
after  the  evaporation.  The  water  should  be  occasionally- 
supplied  with  fresh  air,  by  means  of  a syringe,  and  changed 
from  time  to  time  during  the  Arst  week,  or  until  the  plants 
and  animals  seem  to  thrive  naturally. 

The  aquarium  should  be  stocked  with  the  vegetable 
life^rs^,  and  the  plants  should  be  suffered  to  remain  a 
week  or  more  before  any  animals  are  introduced,  as  some 
plants  may  die,  and  dead  leaves  and  sticks  may  accumu- 
late. These  should  be  removed  as  soon  as  seen. 

In  a marine  aquarium,  branches  of  coral  make  a very 
pretty  ornament  to  the  interior  arrangement.  An  excur- 
sion on  the  sea  shore  will  supply  a variety  of  plants,  etc., 
with  which  to  stock  the  tank.  Make  your  exploring 
expedition  when  the  tide  is  out,  supplied  with  a basket, 
hammer,  chisel,  etc.  Turn  over  large  stones,  and  under- 
neath them  you  will  generally  find  excellent  specimens. 
Search  in  the  fissures  of  the  rocks,  pools,  and  basins, 
and  find  marine  plants.  If  possible,  do  not  detach  them 


THE  AQUARIUM. 


333 


from  the  rock,  but  cut  away  the  piece  to  which  they  are 
attached,  and  bring  the  whole  away  ; the  plant  is  more 
likely  to  live  in  this  way.  If  it  is  a delicate  plant,  place 
it  in  a jar  and  cover  it  with  water,  or  it  will  soon  die  by 
exposure.  In  these  excursions,  you  will  find  mollusca, 
univalves,  bivalves,  barnacles,  etc.  Sea  anemones  will  be 
found  adhering  to  the  rocks  ; star-fish,  curious  specimens 
of  the  crab,  and  others,  will  be  found  under  loose  stones 
at  the  lowest  tide  level. 

The  knowledge  of  a practical  naturalist  would  be  of 
great  assistance  in  fitting  up  the  aquarium,  as  his  prac- 

A 

ticed  eye  would  detect  many  beautiful  specimens  which 
might  wholly  escape  the  notice  of  those  unskilled  in  nat- 
ural history.  The  water  for  a marine  aquarium  should 
of  course  be  from  the  sea. 

The  fitting  up  of  a fresh  water  aquarium  is  easily  done. 
We  subjoin  the  names  of  a few  plants,  simply  to  specify 
those  most  desirable  : — 


Forget-me-not, 

Ferns, 

Water  Yiolet, 
Common  Rushes, 
Common  Dock, 
Duck  Weed, 
White  Water  Lily, 
25 


Yellow  Water  Lily, 
Water  Cress, 

Tape  Grass, 

Sweet  Flag, 

Golden  Club, 
Water  Lobelia, 


334 


THE  AQUARIUM. 


and  many  others  which  are  familiar  to  the  reader  Most 
of  these  are  common  to  our  brooks  and  ponds.  In  placing 
plants  in  the  tank  which  require  fixedness  of  roots,  it  is 
well  first  to  inclose  the  roots  in  a ball  of  wet  clay. 

Pond  snails  are  easily  procured,  and  are  an  important 
accession,  as  they  consume  decayed  or  decaying  vegeta- 
tion, and  in  fact  act  as  natural  scavengers.  Care  must  be 
exercised  to  have  neither  too  strong  nor  too  feeble  a light. 
The  fresh  water  muscle,  and  all  the  genera  and  species 
which  abound  in  ponds  and  creeks,  are  suitable  for  the 
aquarium,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  fishes.  The 
spawn  of  the  mollusca  furnishes  some  food  for  the  fish ; 
but  they  should  be  fed  daily,  not  with  bread,  but  with 
red  worms  cut  up  small,  and  occasionally  with  millet 
seeds.  Pieces  of  dried  beef,  in  minute  fragments,  will 
answer  as  a substitute  for  worms.  All  impurities  should 
be  removed  from  the  tank,  to  prevent  an  unpleasant 
odor,  and  to  preserve  the  life  of  the  animals. 

From  the  hints  thus  given  enough  can  be  gleaned  to 
enable  any  one  to  attempt  to  make  an  aquarium  with  a 
good  prospect  of  success.  An  examination  of  one  well 
arranged  would  be  of  great  advantage  in  giving  correct 
ideas  of  the  construction  and  arrangement. 


A FERN-CASE  FOR  A SHORT  PURSE. 


335 


A FERN-CASE  FOR  A SHORT  PURSE. 

The  base,  which  can  be  made  by  a carpenter  if  re- 
quired, must  consist  of  a plain  board  for  a bottom,  three 
inches  longer  and  wider  than  the  case  is  to  be.  To  the 
bottom  attach  ogee-moulding,  the  large  side  downwards, 
three  inches  wide,  iu  the  top  of  which  there  should  be  a 
groove  for  the  reception  of  the  glass. 

Get  five  panes  of  glass : three  of  them,  say, ^twelve 
inches  by  eighteen  ; and  two,  twelve  inches  by  twelve, 
or  in  those  proportions.  Then  set  the  lower  edges  of 
two  of  the  larger  panes,  and  of  the  two  smaller  ones 
into  the  grooves  of  the  mouldings,  and  paste  them 
together  (using  gum-tragacanth  dissolved  in  water  to 
the  consistency  of  flour-paste)  over  the  joined  edges 
with  silk  galloon.  Cover  all  the  edges  with  the  galloon, 
lay  the  remaining  pane  over  the  top,  and  your  case  is 
ready,  with  the  exception  of  a zinc  pan,  which  any  tin- 
man will  make  for  you,  and  which  is  to  be  of  a size  to 
fit  into  the  base.  Its  depth  should  be  of  the  width  of 
your  moulding,  — say  three  inches. 

This  pan  is  to  be  filled  half  full  of  pieces  of  charcoal, 
of,  say,  an  inch  to  an  inch  and  a half  square,  with  some 
smaller  pieces  mixed  in,  but  without  dust. 


336 


A FERN-CASE  FOR  A SHORT  PURSE. 


The  plants,  which  will  grow  better  if  transplanted  in 
their  native  earth,  can  be  placed  upon  the  charcoal. 
Then  moisten,  but  do  not  wet  the  soil. 

It  will  require  little  or  no  care,  and  will  not  need  to 
be  watered  for  months,  as  the  moisture  arising  in  the 
case  is  sufficient. 

For  the  plants,  a trip  into  the  woods  for  mosses,  ferns, 
ground-laurel,  little  pine-trees,  and  checkerberry,  squaw- 
berry,  and  cranberry  vines  to  enliven  the  picture,  and 
such  other  plants  as  your  taste  may  suggest,  will  be  a 
pleasant  way  of  spending  an  afternoon. 

The  arrangement  of  the  plants  in  the  case  must  be 
left  to  the  taste  of  the  maker  ; but  it  is  a good  rule  to 
place  the  tallest  plants  in  the  centre. 


IffettllamM  $Urapfs. 


(337) 


TRACING  PAPER. 


^ET  a sheet  of  fine  tissue  paper,  and  rub  it  all  over  thinly 
with  clarified  linseed  oil,  when  it  will  be  quite  trans- 
parent ; hang  it  up  to  dry  ; it  takes  some  time  to  dry, 
but  it  must  be  allowed  to  dry  thoroughly  before  using 
it,  or  it  may  spoil  the  picture  or  engraving  you  trace 
from.  With  this  kind  of  tracing  paper,  being  trans- 
parent, you  have  merely  to  place  it  over  pictures  or 
engravings,  and  with  a lead  pencil  mark  over  your  drawing  with 
a steady  hand. 


SPIRIT  SANDARAC  YARNISH. 

Six  ounces  of  pulverized  sandarac,  two  ounces  of  pulverized 
shellac,  four  ounces  of  pulverized  resin,  four  of  turpentine, 
thirty-two  ounces  of  alcohol ; let  the  vessel  you  make  it  in  be 
surrounded  with  warm  water,  graduallj’’  made  hot ; when  all  the 
gums  are  dissolved,  strain,  and  in  a few  days  it  will  be  ready  for 
use.  Good  for  varnishing  any  thing  that  is  wanted  to  dry  quickly. 

TRANSFER  YARNISH. 

To  six  ounces  of  fir  balsam  add  twelve  of  rectified  spirits  of  tur- 
pentine ; shake  well  together ; strain  if  requisite,  and  it  is  ready  for 
use.  Good  for  transferring  engravings,  and  holds  the  ink  firmlv  ; 
is  sometimes  used  for  varnishing  maps,  engravings,  etc. 

(339) 


340 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECEIPTS. 


MASTIC  VARNISH. 

Dissolve  (without  heat)  six  ounces  of  bruised  mastic  in  twelve 
ounces  of  rectified  spirits  of  turpentine ; when  dissolved,  strain  it 
into  another  bottle,  cork  it,  and  place  it  where  the  sun  will  strike. 
After  a time  there  will  be  a precipitate  ; then  put  it  in  another  bot- 
tle clear.  This  is  a good  varnish  for  maps  and  engravings. 

Another.  — Six  ounces  of  95  per  cent,  alcohol ; six  ounces  of 
mastic ; fourteen  of  turpentine.  Likewise  good  for  engravings, 
maps,  etc. 

HOW  TO  MAKE  TRANSFER  PAPER. 

Take  any  opaque  color,  and  mix  it  with  a very  weak  solution  of 
gum  water.  The  opaque  colors  best  for  this  purpose  are  Indian  red, 
yellow  ocher,  chrome  yellow,  and  white.  When  mixed,  coat  it  over 
thin  drawing  paper,  with  a flat  brush ; when  dry,  it  is  ready  for 
use.  It  is  very  serviceable  to  transfer  your  sketch  made  on  the 
tracing  paper ; for  oil  pictures,  for  instance,  when  you  have  made 
your  sketch  on  the  transparent  tracing  paper,  place  your  transfer 
paper,  the  color  side  to  face  the  canvas,  fit  on  your  trace,  and  mark 
all  your  drawing  with  a bone  tracer,  or  with  the  point  of  your 
sharpened  pencil  stick,  when  a very  legible  outline  will  be  trans- 
ferred to  the  canvas,  of  whatever  color  your  transfer  paper  is. 
Of  course  you  will  choose  a color  that  will  show  ; chrome  or 
yellow  ocher  shows  quite  sufficiently  on  light-colored  canvas. 
After  removing  your  paper,  it  is  well  to  mark  over  on  your  can- 
vas with  lead  pencil. 

In  making  the  transfer  paper,  be  careful  not  to  put  too  much  gum 
in,  or  the  color  will  not  leave  so  freely  as  is  requisite  for  tracing. 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECEIPTS. 


841 


ANTIQUE  VARNISH. 

This  receipt  has  never  before  been  given,  although  large  sums  have 
repeatedly  been  offered  for  the  secret.  All  other  receipts  are  worth- 
less, and  no  other  preparation  will  stand  the  test  of  time,  as  this 
has  done. 

Take  one  ounce  of  pure  Venice  turpentine;  mix  well  with  two 
ounces  of  pure  spirits  of  turpentine ; warm  in  a large  bottle.  In 
another  bottle  put  four  ounces  of  best  fir  balsam,  (it  must  be  pure,) 
with  two  ounces  of  95  per  cent,  alcohol ; shake  well  each  bottle 
frequently  for  six  hours  or  more,  then  mix  both  preparations  in  the 
large  bottle.  The  whole  should  stand  several  days  before  using,  in 
a warm  place. 

CABINET  VARNISH. 

To  one  gallon  of  alcohol  add  six  ounces  of  gum  sandarac,  three 
ounces  of  gum  mastic,  one  half  ounce  turpentine  varnish ; put  all 
in  a tin  can,  and  in  a warm  place,  occasionally  shaking.  Twelve 
days  or  so  will  dissolve  the  gums.  Strain,  and  it  is  ready  for 
use.  This  varnish  is  good  for  any  sort  of  wood  work,  violins,  etc. 

TURPENTINE  VARNISH. 

To  one  gallon  of  oil  of  turpentine  add  five  pounds  of  powdered 
resin  ; boil  for  thirty  minutes ; strain  it ; when  cold,  it  is  fit  for  use. 

PAPIER  MACHE  VARNISH  EOR  PEARLING. 

Take  one  quart  of  the  spirit  sandarac  varnish,  mix  in  three 
ounces  of  lampblack,  and  one  ounce  of  Prussian  blue  ; blend  them 
together,  and  it  is  ready  for  use. 


842 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECEIPTS. 


TO  VARNISH  COLORED  ENGRAVINGS,  CHARTS, 
MAPS,  ETC. 

Make  a frame  stiff  and  strong,  similar  to  those  used  for  canvas 
in  oil  painting,  except  it  better  be  secured  at  the  corners.  Then 
procure  cotton  cloth  two  inches  larger  than  the  frame  all  round ; 
this  paste  well  on  one  side  with  strong  binder’s  paste ; also  paste 
the  picture  or  map,  which  should  lay  a few  minutes  to  become 
moist  throughout,  and  place  the  pasted  sides  together,  (the  cloth 
and  paper,)  and  rub  -with  a bone  folder,  commencing  at  the  middle, 
out  to  the  corners,  that  it  may  not  wrinkle.  The  assistance  of  a 
second  person  would  be  desirable  to  hold  up  the  corners  until 
you  are  prepared  to  smooth  as  directed.  Before  this  is  dry,  tack 
with  lace  tacks  to  the  frame  evenly ; when  it  dries  it  will  become 
very  tight  and  smooth. 

After  the  whole  is  thoroughly  dry,  take  a piece  of  isinglass,  say 
three  inches  square,  break  in  small  pieces  and  pour  on  hot  water, 
about  a small  cup  full,  and  keep  it  hot  till  the  isinglass  is  all  dis- 
solved, and  while  the  solution  is  warm,  with  a flat  camel’s  hair 
brush,  coat  the  face  of  your  picture  evenly,  avoiding  as  far  as  pos- 
sible touching  a second  time  (particularly  if  it  is  colored)  till  the 
first  is  dry.  Be  sure  that  every  part  has  received  a portion  of  the 
size.  When  dry  varnish  with  Outside,  or  Mastic  varnish. 

RECEIPT  FOR  MAKING  GOLD  SIZE. 

Take  one  pint  of  boiled  oil,  and  three  quarters  of  a pound  of 
litharge;  boil  them  together  for  three  hours,  occasionally  stirring 
it  up  ; when  cold,  let  it  settle  for  a few  days,  pour  off  the  clear 
liquid,  and  it  is  ready  for  use. 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECEIPTS. 


843 


TO  STRETCH  ENGRAVINGS  FOR  FRAMING. 

Prepare  them  as  already  directed.  Pictures  much  soiled  may 
be  washed  in  clean  water,  and  with  blotting  or  other  porous 
paper  the  superfluous  water  absorbs  the  dirt ; they  may  be  then 
stretched,  and  be  made  to  look  as  smooth  and  fresh  as  new. 

TO  CLEANSE  CABINET  WORK. 

An  excellent  method  is,  in  the  first  place,  to  saturate  the  surface 
with  pure  olive  oil,  and  then  apply  a solution  made  by  dissclving 
gum  arabic  in  boiling  alcohol.  This  will  give  to  the  furniture  a 
most  brilliant  appearance. 

Another  mode  is  to  dissolve  a pound  and  a half  of  potash  in  a 
gallon  of  hot  water;  then  add  a pound  of  virgin  wax,  and  after 
boiling  it  for  half  an  hour,  allow  it  to  cool,  and  the  wax  will  rise 
to  the  surface.  Put  the  wax  into  a mortar,  and  work  it  with  a 
marble  pestle,  adding  soft  water  until  it  becomes  of  the  consistency 
of  soft  paste.  Lay  this  on  the  furniture,  and  rub  it  carefully,  when 
dry,  with  a wroolen  rag,  and  a beautiful  brilliancy  is  soon  ob- 
tained. 

SPATTER  WORK. 

Select  the  pattern  of  leaves,  ferns,  or  other  design,  according  to 
fancy,  and  affix  to  the  surface  of  the  material  which  is  used,  by 
means  of  fine  needles  thickly  placed,  and  closely  securing  every 
part  of  the  pattern,  so  that  the  edges  leave  no  space  between  the 
pattern  and  the  material.  Mix  India-ink  with  water  in  a thin 
paste.  Dip  a tooth-brush  in  the  mixture,  and,  holding  the  satu- 
rated brush  over  the  work,  quickly  draw  the  teeth  of  a fine  comb 
over  the  brush,  repeating  the  operation  until  the  surface  is  com- 


3 44 


MISCELLANEOUS  RECEIPTS. 


pletely  spattered  as  desired.  When  thoroughly  dry,  remove  the 
pattern ; and  it  will  be  found  in  relief  tastefully  set  off  by  the 
spattering. 

Very  coarse  spatter  is  made  by  using  the  brush  without  drawing 
a comb  across. 

All  kinds  of  holly-wood  ornaments,  tidies,  velvet  cushions,  etc., 
may  be  ornamented  by  spatter  work. 


